


The Sweet Taste of Silver

by LumiOlivier



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, M/M, Sugar Baby!Light, lawlight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 97,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LumiOlivier/pseuds/LumiOlivier
Summary: Email after email...It only made Light sicker to look at them.  Final notice.  Past due.  Expulsion threats.  He knew going to one of the best schools in the country would be pricey, but that's what his scholarships were for, right?  At least until they start running out.  At least he'll have his internship...And his new employer.
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Comments: 409
Kudos: 508





	1. Emails and Interviews

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm Lumi. If we've never met before, it's good to finally meet you. It's going to be you and me every Tuesday for the foreseeable future. However, there won't be an update next week. Why? Because the following week, we'll have a new chapter every day from the 6th to the 10th of July in something that I've done for four years now that I like to call Bomb Week. If you've been with me before on FFN, you know all about this. But after the 10th, we won't have another one until August 4th. So, I hope you'll come back on the 6th and hang out with me. And more importantly, I hope you come back in August, too. But for now, I'm going to shut up and let you get into the first chapter, ok? Love you. x

Light hated nothing more than opening up his email these days. His schooling was coming down to his final two semesters and his scholarship was starting to dwindle. Even with Light’s grades, To-Oh University didn’t come cheap. Better schools always came with a higher tuition. _Please don’t be a payment notice. Please don’t be a payment notice. Please don’t be a payment notice._ He took a deep breath before clicking on the email, his eyes squeezed shut and a knot in the pit of his stomach. Sure enough, when Light opened his email, it was an open palm for another eight hundred thousand yen. 

_Damn vultures…They’ll get their money. Eventually…Whenever I can make the payment._ However, these emails were different than the usual. These were the ones that started saying final notice. _I can’t get kicked out now. Not now. Not when I’ve come this far._ Light threw himself face down on his bed. _What am I going to do? It’s not like I can go back to her for help and I shouldn’t have to go back to Mom and Dad for money._ It was bad enough that Light had moved back home. After his last messy breakup, she kicked him out and told him that he didn’t deserve her help anymore. Not that it really broke his heart much. The love in their relationship was mostly one-sided. As dirty as it made Light feel, he knew what her love got him. But he couldn’t take her anymore.

“Light?” His father gently knocked on the door, “Are you in here?”

“Yeah,” Light sat up, pulling himself together for the sake of appearances, “What is it, Dad?”

“Are you alright?” Soichiro sat with him, “You hardly said a word at dinner. And you hardly ate anything.”

“I’m fine,” Light lied through his teeth, “Just…School stuff getting to me. I’ll be ok.”

“I see that.” Light made the rookie mistake of leaving his email open for his father to see. _Light…You should’ve said something. It’s more than just school stuff._

“Looks like I might need to find a part time job,” Light chuckled nervously. A poor attempt to ease the tension in the room.

“You know, Light,” Soichiro suggested, “It’s not much, but you could come intern for us. The pay is relatively decent and I’m sure you’ll be able to make your next tuition payment. At least enough to get them to stop harassing you for money.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Light perked up a little more, “What would I be doing?”

“We just had someone join us,” Soichiro explained, “A detective. And a damn good one. He said he was looking for an assistant.”

“An assistant?” Light thought it over. _Seriously? That’s grunt work. I guess beggars can’t be choosers right now._

“He specifically requested no one with an IQ below 130,” Soichiro went on, “What was yours the last time you checked?”

“About 142…” Light smiled a bit. 

“You’re already half qualified,” Soichiro tried his best to make Light feel better, “I’m sure he’d take you.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Light laid back down, “But as great as the experience would be in the long run, I need something that pays well.”

“I’m sure this would,” Soichiro continued, “Either way, it’d be worth a shot.”

“What do you know about this detective?”

“He’s brilliant,” Soichiro bit the inside of his cheek, “His methods can be…a tad unorthodox. To say he’s eccentric would be putting it gently. He acts a bit strange, but he’s never had a case he couldn’t solve. Should I give him your name?”

_A mad genius type, huh? By the sounds of it, he doesn’t tolerate stupidity either. God, I hope this pays off,_ “Sure. Give him my name. At this point, what do I have to lose?”

“That’s the spirit,” Soichiro put a hand on Light’s shoulder, “At least it’s detective work.”

“You’re right,” Light nodded, “Maybe this could be a foot in the door someday.”

“I have no doubt he’ll see you,” Soichiro started looking up. _I knew you couldn’t say no,_ “Well, you should get some sleep.”

“I guess you’re right,” Light’s eyes were already heavy. Along with his head and heart, “Good night, Dad.”

“Good night, son,” Soichiro left Light’s room and Light crawled into bed. _As long as this internship is paid and this mad genius isn’t completely insufferable. Maybe things are going to start looking up for me._ Light closed his email and slipped into sweet slumber.

The next morning, the Yagami household was full of its usual bustle. Sayu got ready for school. Soichiro got ready for work. Sachiko prepared breakfast for the family. Everyone but light was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Light didn’t have class until noon, so he was no stranger to sleeping in. However, Soichiro stood at Light’s bedroom, vigorously knocking on the door, “Light! It’s time to get up!”

“Dad…” Light stumbled to his father, still half asleep, “What the hell? It’s not even eight o'clock.”

“I figured you would want to get to your interview on time,” Soichiro shrugged, “Suit yourself. Find your own way there.”

“Wait,” Light took a moment to process, “What interview?”

“I made a phone call last night,” Soichiro told him with a little smile on his face, “He said he’d see you this morning if you’re available.”

“Really?” That was enough for Light to wake up, “Thank you, Dad! This is fantastic! I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

_I didn’t think he would see me so soon. He must really be desperate. Given my intelligence and the glowing recommendation from Dad, I should be a shoe in._ Light quickly made himself presentable and followed his father out the front door. _I wonder what this guy’s going to be like. All I know about him is his reputation. Although, I must admit. Not leaving any case unsolved is impressive. His track record is amazing. And if he has Dad’s seal of approval, he has to be something special._

“Good luck at your interview, Light!” Sayu waved behind him. 

“Thanks, Sayu,” Light always had a soft spot in his heart for his younger sister. And no one would be able to blame him. Sayu had Light’s ridiculously huge footsteps to follow in. Because of that, he pitied her, but at the same time, he’d never hesitate to help her when she needed it. The feeling was mutual. Sayu would always be her brother’s number one fan.

Right now, he needed that kind of support. For the entire ride there, Light could hardly contain himself. Thoughts and what if scenarios of his future boss flooded his head. _I can do this. Everything up to this point has been a piece of cake for me. With the exception of my emails, but that’s not what we’re thinking about today. I have this interview in the bag._ Although, when Soichiro continued going straight instead of taking the right turn toward the station, Light couldn’t help but be a bit confused. _What the hell?_

“Hey, Dad?” Light wondered, “I thought you said we were going to my interview.”

“We are going to your interview,” Soichiro continued forward.

“But…” Light looked over his shoulder, “Isn’t the station back that way?”

“Who said anything about going to the station?” Soichiro clarified, “Your interview is at a hotel downtown.”

“Why?”

“He’s not exactly local,” Soichiro went on, “His office has been a hotel room for the last few days. If any of us need to get in contact with him, that’s where we go. I wouldn’t say he’s exactly on the record. It’s just the way he does things and we cooperate any way we can.”

“And the police are ok with that?” Light looked at him strange.

“I told you he was eccentric,” Soichiro nodded, “If we don’t cooperate, we don’t have his help. It’s as simple as that.”

“You make it sound like he has the NPA hostage,” Light joked, his thought turning dark quickly, “He…doesn’t…does he?”

“No,” Soichiro assured him, pulling up to the front door, “Room 1304. Good luck, Light.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Light got out of the car and walked inside.

_Damn…This is a nice place. Almost too nice to be someone’s office._ Light could hardly comprehend how much one night would cost in a place like this. Tokyo didn’t have a shortage of luxury hotels. _And this guy has already been here for a few days?_ The thought made Light’s stomach turn when he put it in terms of his tuition. However, the thought was fleeting as he got into the elevator. _How eccentric can he really be? I’m sure he’s just like everybody else at the NPA. Just with a bigger ego._ Then, Light felt a buzzing on his thigh.

When he checked his phone, the real nauseam hit. Especially with the little red one next to the envelope on the screen. _Come on. Not now. I told you that I’d get your money soon. I just need a little more time._ Light shook the thought out of his head and shoved his phone back in his pocket. _I can do this. A walk in the park. I know who I am. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I understand what this guy is about and what he’s looking for. I can do this. My emails don’t even exist at this point._ Light stood outside room 1304 and knocked on the door.

An older man answered. Not exactly what Light was expecting this detective would look like, but he wasn’t complaining, “Mr. Yagami?”

“Yes,” Light nodded, “I’m…”

_Snap!_

“Thank you,” the man put a camera back into his pocket. 

“Excuse me?” Light wondered, “Why did you…?”

“For office uses,” the man explained.

“I’m here for the interview.” _What the hell did I get myself into? Dad wasn’t lying. Eccentric was the right word for him._

“Yes, Mr. Yagami,” the man nodded, “If you could turn around, please.”

“Sure,” Light turned around as he was asked, “What kind of office uses could this be for?”

“That’s classified information,” the man brushed him off, taking another picture, “This is merely a prerequisite. Right this way, please.”

“Ok,” Light followed him into the overly lavish suite, “So, will you be who I’m working with?”

“Me?” the man chuckled to himself, “No. My name is Watari. I am the liaison between him and the NPA. He takes his anonymity very seriously. I hope you can understand.”

“Of course,” Light let it go, “And will you be the one conducting my interview?”

“No,” Watari shook his head, “Wait here.”

“Yes,” Light sat down on the crushed velvet couch. _This is more comfortable than my own bed. Who the hell is this guy? More importantly, who the hell does he think he is?_ “Excuse me…Watari?”

“Yes, Mr. Yagami?”

“Please,” Light insisted, “Call me Light.”

“Light, then,” Watari agreed, “Is there something I can help you with?”

“How long is this going to be?” Light asked, “I have a civics class at noon.”

“He’ll come get you when he’s ready.” Watari left Light in the living room and started making pancakes in the kitchen.

“Ok.” _This may be the weirdest job interview I’ve ever been on._ Regardless, Light sat on his phone, playing some simple game to pass the time. All while getting more and more emails asking about when his next tuition payment would be along with the outstanding balance. _I get it. It’s overdue. I know how much it is. Yes, I realize you’re charging me late fees and interest._

An hour had gone by before Light had heard anything. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think his future boss was dead. _Whatever happened to being professional? If someone’s going to take the time out of their day for this interview, shouldn’t you have the common decency to keep the time? Again, who the hell does this guy think he is? The fancy hotel room, making me wait here for the last hour, the way he treats the NPA. It’s like he’s a giant child!_

“Mr. Yagami,” Watari came back, “He’s ready for you.”

_It’s about damn time._


	2. Questions and a Riddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Welcome to day one of Death Note Bomb Week! I hope you enjoyed the little teaser of things to come because it’s just going to be you and me all week. It’s cool that you guys were so well-receiving of this fic. Give it a minute. It’ll get even better. So, are we ready? I think we’re ready. Let’s go.

Light had no idea what to make of the man sitting in front of him. If he was actually sitting. The man sat on his feet and looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. He gnawed on the side of his thumb, likely out of nervous habit, staring a hole through Light. _There is no way in hell this is L. This guy looks like he just woke up. Dad did say he was eccentric. Maybe he’s a proxy. There’s just…There’s no way. Does he have something wrong with him? No. No way this guy is the same L Dad mentioned._

“Light Yagami, yes?” the man spoke, his warm voice radiating through Light’s chest.

“Yes,” Light nodded, “Are you L?”

“Yes, I am,” he confirmed, thumbing through a manila file filled with various pieces of information on Light, “Your father spoke quite highly of you. And there are plenty of accolades here to back the claims of a doting father. Aren’t you the over achiever? Top marks throughout your entire schooling career, athletic awards…”

“I haven’t done anything athletic since middle school,” Light clarified, “But I still get those top marks. I was class representative my freshman year of college and graduated valedictorian in high school.”

“I see that,” Light didn’t even look up from Light’s folder. _Looks like you’ve stepped up your recruitment game, Chief Yagami. Thank you. I could only handle so many of the others_ , “What was your sport in middle school?”

“Tennis,” Light told him, “I haven’t played in years.”

“Mine, too,” L put the file down, getting a better look at his potential assistant. _Watari’s photography skills are top notch, but pictures do not do you justice, Light Yagami. I bet you’re a popular guy. With a brain like yours and a face like that, I’m sure you’ve broken a lot of hearts,_ “By the looks of your track record, you had the potential to go pro. Why didn’t you?”

‘I thought my academics were more important,” Light explained, “And I had one last major injury in my right elbow. I caught a ball directly in my forearm and my elbow and shattered it. My racquet has been collecting dust ever since.”

“Hmm…” L thought for a moment. _I wonder if he’s still as good as he was then. Playing someone of his skill could be fun. It’s been a while for me, too, but if he was as good as he says, he’d be a challenge,_ “Still, you should utilize your skill set to its full potential.”

_Who the hell did this guy think he is?! Two can play at that game._ Light decided to turn the tables, “What about you?”

“What about me?” L looked at Light strangely. _Someone’s grown awfully bold._

“Were you any good?”

“I did win a few championships when I was younger,” L admitted, “Why?”

“Then, why didn’t you go pro?” Light asked. _If he can do it, why can’t I?_

“This isn’t my interview,” L shot him down. _What are you trying to get at, Light Yagami?_

“Humor me,” Light insisted.

“Fine.” _Huh…He doesn’t seem to be the slightest bit fazed that I hold his future in my hands. That may lead to problems down the road. Or it could make things a bit more interesting. But there are ways of taking care of that,_ “Carpal tunnel took its toll. My wrists couldn’t handle it anymore. Even now, on rainy days, I can feel little jolts of pain in my hands. Also, for future reference, I loathe small talk. I’d suggest writing that down.”

“Ok.” _Just asked a simple question._

Beep!

_Shit…_ Light bit the inside of his cheek. _I could’ve sworn I turned the ringer off in the elevator._ L cocked his head, glancing down at Light’s lap, “What was that?”

“I’m sorry,” Light caught a glimpse of the screen. _Come on…Why now? I’m busy,_ “I thought I…”

“Please put your phone on the desk,” L ordered.

“Sure,” Light put his phone down as he was asked with the screen side down. _The last things he needs to see are my collections emails. As long as he didn’t see the notifications, I’ll be fine.”_

Beep!

_Dammit! Did I hit the wrong button?_ L glared at Light’s phone. But then, his focus was back on the man across from him, “Light, would you be willing to submit to a test of your thinking capabilities?”

“Sure,” Light allowed, doing his best to shake those emails out of his thoughts, “Sounds like fun. What’s the test? I’ll have to warn you, though. Most logic puzzles are like child’s play to me.”

“Then, this should be relatively simple,” L began. _Your cockiness may be your downfall. I suppose there are ways of taking care of that little problem, too,_ “Two men walk into a room. One of them is clearly out to impress someone. The other is slightly disheveled and moderately disinterested. One of these men are sensitive to sudden, high pitched noises. Based on appearance, which one is it?”

“Interesting,” Light thought it over, “One is out to impress and one is a mess, you said?”

“Disheveled,” L corrected him, “Not a mess. Repeating the question won’t buy you more time.”

“I know,” Light went on, “Let’s see. The one out to impress likely takes care of himself while the disheveled one is likely that way because of possibly just waking up from a nap. Possibly even waking up for the first time that day. Going off that theory and personal experience, the disheveled man would be the one more likely to be sensitive to high pitched noises.”

“Are you sure that’s the one you want to go with?” L asked, “I wouldn’t want you to make any snap judgments.”

Light began to second guess his deduction. Until one key observation clicked into his head. _Hold on. These men sound familiar,_ “Yes. I’m sure. In fact, I couldn’t be more positive. Especially considering my theory of why the disheveled man is the way he is.”

“Do tell.” _Maybe his intelligence is more than I give him credit for. You are an interesting creature, Light Yagami._

“He did just wake up,” Light elaborated, “Not only does it explain how he’s the one with the noise sensitivity, but also why he made the one out to impress wait an hour before his interview.”

L held back a smile. _Yes. Definitely more than I give him credit for,_ “That is the complete correct answer. You saw through that?”

“Yes, I did,” Light nodded, taking a little pride in his answer.

“Impressive,” L praised, “Although your deduction was right, your reasoning, however, was wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Light gave him a look, “My reasoning had to be right. There’s no way it wasn’t.”

“And there lies your mistake,”: L pointed out, “Because you o0nly assume it could only be one thing. The deduction of me waking up just moments ago. I had a long night last night. However, I don’t have to be just waking up to be sensitive to high pitched noises. Like your phone, for example. Normally, I have those collected at the door.”

“I really did think I had the sound turned off,” Light apologized.

“How early can you come in, Light?” L quickly changed the subject. _As long as it doesn’t happen again, I don’t care._

“Um…” L’s question caught Light by surprise. He casually played it off, “How early would you need me?”

“Does Monday around three o'clock work for you?” L offered.

“It’s perfect,” Light approved, his excitement growing, “I get out of my civics class at two during the week.”

“Do you take any night courses?”

“Not since last semester.”

“Good,” L nodded, “I want you to keep your nights open. Now, do you have any questions?”

“Yes,” Light began. _Only one. And if my phone going off in the middle of the interview wasn’t an indication of that, I don’t know what is,_ “Is this a paid position?”

“Is that an important factor in whether or not you’ll take said position?” _Please tell me what I want to hear._

“Kind of, yeah,” Light blushed a little.

“We can discuss that on Monday,” L decided, the butterflies in his stomach kicking up, “Along with your contract.”

“Wait,” Light’s heart stopped, “Are you saying I got the job?”

“That’s yet to be determined,” L toyed with him a bit. _Of course you did, Light. You’re the only applicant I didn’t want to strangle or need copious quantities of aspirin after the interview. You should’ve seen the geniuses your father threw my way at first. And I use the term genius ironically,_ “Can I ask you a personal question? Entirely off the record?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“The messages on your phone,” L wondered, “The ones that kept interrupting our interview. What were they for?”

“Oh…” Light started shaking. _He didn’t see my notifications. He couldn’t possibly know. Dad wouldn’t have told him about that…would he? No. Of course he wouldn’t._ Light did his best to calm himself down, “Just some school stuff. Probably.”

“You know, Light,” L sat back in his chair, his legs dangling over the arm, “You genuinely fascinate me. I’m not at liberty to tell you if you have the job jet, but I will say that this has been one of the more pleasant interviews I’ve had since I came to Japan. How would you feel about a social call?”

“Depends on the kind of social call,” Light perked up, “Why do you ask?”

“I was thinking dinner,” L offered, “Just the two of us. Tonight around eight o'clock?”

“Um…” Light thought it over. _It’s not like this guy knows I don’t have a dime to my name_ , “I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that I can…”

“Don’t worry about it,” L brushed him off, “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Yeah…” _Seriously. Who the hell was this guy?! He has to have something with his full name on it somewhere. Something I can Google when I get home…_ After a quick glance over L’s desk, Light came up short, “I’ll see you tonight.”

“And Light?”

“Yes?”

A little smirk graced L’s face, making Light’s heart skip a beat, “Congratulations.”

“What?” Light could hardly contain himself, “Are you saying I got the job?”

“Stand for me, please,” L ordered, excitement overcoming him as Light did as he asked. _Follows orders well. Good to know,_ “Now, spin around in a circle. Once. And slowly.”

“Ok?” Light still didn’t know what to make of this guy, but he was also his boss now. Possibly. Hopefully. _Dad did say he was eccentric. Maybe this is part of those eccentricities._ Light did his one single turn in front of L’s desk.

“Yes,” L confirmed, that smile on his face only growing, “You will do wonderfully. Happy to have you aboard, Light. Go on. Go home. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Thank you,” Light attempted to shake his hand. 

Although, L stared at his gesture in slight confusion, but then it clicked. _Oh, yes. Formal gestures_. He returned the handshake. _He has some strong hands…But soft…Yes. You will definitely do,_ “I look forward to working with you, Light Yagami. Make me proud.”

“That’s the idea,” Light gave him a bow and started heading back toward the elevator. He slid down the back wall and onto the floor as soon as the doors closed. He let out a heavy sigh of relief.

_I got it. I got the job. It might not be the most…normal work experience, but Dad told me he was eccentric. He wasn’t lying. Still, it’d be nice to know what his full name is. I’m sure I’ll come across it somewhere while I’m working for him. I have to. He has to have it laying around. It’s weird to think I’m going to dinner with him tonight, though. We just met today and he already wants us to start a professional relationship? Whatever. As long as this internship pays, that’s all that matters. And not just in experience. I hope to God, this guy will get the emails to shut up. Just for a while. I’m still not quite sure what to make of you, L, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Eventually._ The doors parted at the lobby and Light headed home. 


	3. Dinner and Details

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we get a ding, ding for day two? Yay! Day two! And now, L’s taking Light for dinner. Let’s be that creepy voyeur and look in, shall we? I’ll see you tomorrow. x

As night began to fall over Tokyo, Light stared blankly into his closet. Even when he was still with his last girlfriend, Light never dressed himself for an evening out. He was clueless. _I’m just going to dinner with this guy. It’s not like he was expecting anything else. Right? If that’s the case, why am I trying so hard? I already have the job. I don’t need to impress him anymore. But…_ Light threw himself on his bed, exasperated with the entire affair. _At least I’ll be able to go home with leftovers, if I play my cards right._

“Hey, Light,” Sayu stood in the doorway of Light’s bedroom, disturbed by the sad sight her brother had become, “Yikes…What happened here?”

“I’m not in the mood, Sayu,” Light groaned into his mattress, “What do you want?”

“I just came to see how your interview went,” she sat at the edge of his bed, “Are you ok? You look like you’re either about to have a total nervous breakdown or throw up. Maybe both.”

“It’s neither of those,” he confessed, “I got the job. He liked me so much that he invited me to dinner tonight. What time is it?”

Sayu looked over at the clock on Light’s computer, “Shortly after seven.”

“In roughly an hour…”

“Oh,” she chirped, “So, you got a hot date tonight? That’s what’s causing all the fuss?”

“Yes, Sayu,” Light remained unmoved, yet somehow, much more bitter, “I have a hot date with my boss.”

“Hey!” Sayu gave Light a gentle smack with a pillow, “It happens in dramas all the time.”

“Not helping, Sayu.”

“You already have your internship, right?” she started thumbing through Light’s closet.

“Yeah,” Light sat up, watching her every move, “As far as I know anyway. Why?”

“Then, relax,” Sayu advised, “It’s not like you have to impress him anymore.”

“I know,” Light agreed, “But it couldn’t hurt to be somewhat presentable.”

“If it’s going to drive you crazy like this,” she threw a few shirts on Light’s bed, along with a dark pair of jeans, “Why bother?”

“Like I said,” he reiterated. _Although, she does have a point,_ “It can’t hurt.”

“If you say so,” Sayu sat in Light’s desk chair, “Seriously, though, Light. You really do need to relax. Stress destroys your skin.”

“Really?”

“Totally,” she nodded, “Stress breakouts are a thing. I get them on midterm day like clockwork. They suck.”

“Thanks, Sayu,” Light grumbled, “Way to make things worse.”

“You’ll be fine,” she assured him, “You’re just being a baby.”

“Hey!”

“It’s true!” Sayu wasn’t backing down, “Look, you’re one of the most charismatic people I know. If you were good enough to get your internship…Not even just your internship, but _dinner,_ too? This is going to be a piece of cake for you.”

“I appreciate the pep talk,” Light knew deep down that Sayu meant well, “But I really do need to get ready. Do you mind?”

Beep!

“Mine!” Sayu jumped for Light’s phone with the skill and precision of an Olympic diver. To no surprise, she got to it before he did.

“What the hell, Sayu?” Light snapped, trying to get his phone back.

“There’s a car waiting for you outside,” she read out loud, “See you soon? Who’s L, Light?”

“That’s my boss!” Light took his phone back from Sayu. It’s not like she needed it anymore. She got what she wanted.

“ _That’s_ your new boss?” Sayu gasped, “Lucky you. He sent a car for you, Light.”

“Could you get out?” he nudged her toward the door.

“I help get you unstuck with your wardrobe,” she pouted, “And this is the thanks I get?”

“Thank you, Sayu,” Light gave her one last shove, “Really. But can I get dressed now?”

“You wouldn’t want to keep him waiting…”

Slam!

…Knock, knock.

Light threw his door open, “Don’t you have homework to do, Sayu?”

“I can do that later,” Sayu brushed him off, “But you do know I’ll want to hear every detail when you get back, right?”

Slam!

_I have to give her some credit. The girl is persistent._ Light looked over his options on his bed. _And she’s got taste._ L was waiting for Light. Heaven forbid Light kept him waiting. _Although, it wouldn’t be a half bad idea to give him a taste of his own medicine. But am I really going to be that petty? I can’t risk losing this internship. Petty another day._ He threw on one of the shirts from his bed and gave himself one last look in the mirror. _Huh. Not bad. Thanks, Sayu. Maybe I will tell her about tonight. I’m sure the details will be enough to bore her to sleep._

Light ran downstairs and headed outside. A shiny, black town car waited at the end of the front sidewalk. _Wow. Classy. What a friendly reminder of how loaded L must be. If he can afford shit like this, he better be paying me for my internship._ When Light got into the car, it was just him and the driver. _I guess I wasn’t keeping him waiting like I thought. Strange…But he’s kind of strange, so why should I be surprised?_ Light exchanged simple pleasantries with the driver and they both took off from the driveway of the Yagami household.

As they continued on their journey, the driver took an unexpected turn. Somewhere Light thought was completely off the table. _Omotesando? Really? Of all places, he picks one of the ritziest neighborhoods in all of Tokyo. Why? What’s his angle? Is it that he’s just so used to the taste of silver? I mean, by the sounds of it, it’s free food. I can’t complain. Especially from somewhere in Omotesando. They have some of the best restaurants in town. At the end of the night, I’ll just thank him and leave. It’s not like I haven’t done this song and dance before. Why did it have to be Omotesando, though?_

The car stopped outside of a beautiful restaurant that was definitely a far stretch from the quiet cafés in Aoyama Light was used to. Being on his own anyway. This? This was an entirely different monster. Fortunately, he knew how to slay this particular demon. _React to fake kindness with more fake kindness. They only want me in here because they think I have money. If they smell the middle class on me, I’m sure to be kicked out on my ass. Although…I’m obviously going to be meeting someone here with money. Otherwise he wouldn’t have had the car drop me off here._

“Excuse me,” a hostess greeted him, instantly putting a knot in Light’s stomach. Something in her smile disgusted him. The same saccharine smile that said, ‘please tip me well or I’ll make sure you never step foot in here again’. Light simply returned the favor, “Mr. Yagami?”

“Yes?” Light gave her a look, curious as to how she knew who he was.

“You’re expected on the roof, sir,” she gave him a bow. _Maybe she’s one of the good ones._

“Ok,” he nodded, “Thank you.”

“Right this way,” she guided him toward the stairs meant for rooftop access. But she had a look in her eye. One that put Light at ease. One of bitter contempt as if to say, ‘damn these rich assholes’. It even made him smile a little. _She’s one of the good ones. She’s probably just working her way through college, too. In a way, that’s what I’m here to do, too. Only for someone different._

Light pulled out a few loose bills from his pocket (estimating around two thousand yen) and put them in her hand as soon as they got to the roof, “Thank you.”

“Thank you, sir.” A genuine smile shined on her face. And she turned on her heel, leaving Light to find his…date…for the evening. _Seriously, though. Who does this guy think he is? He invites me to Omotesando to likely further solidify that he not only has a shitload of money, but he likes to hold it over my head. Or this is a strange sense of karmic retribution for something I didn’t do._

“Hello, Light,” L greeted him, sitting at their table with a giant milkshake in front of him and the straw firmly affixed in his mouth. At the chair across from him sat a nice assortment of sashimi intended for Light, “Please. Sit.”

“You really didn’t have to go this far,” Light sat across from him just as he was asked.

“You seemed a bit stressed at our interview,” L pointed out, “I thought you could use the night out. Not only that, but I wanted to get to know you better. On a more candid level.”

“Ok,” Light wasn’t a hundred percent sure what to think of it, but he let it go, “Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Really?” L gave him a look, “We’re really going to be that cut and dry about it?”

“Were you expecting more of a challenge?” Light wondered, “I’m an open book. Ask anything you want. I have nothing to hide.”

“Alright then.” _An open book, huh? Interesting. You shouldn’t keep yourself so vulnerable, Light Yagami. But I can appreciate your honesty,_ “What are you studying?”

“I’m majoring in law,” Light told him, “But I’m also working on a minor in criminal justice.”

“Do you plan on going to law school?” L asked.

“No,” Light shook his head, “I couldn’t be a lawyer. Too much pressure.”

“I see,” L assumed, “Then, you plan on following in your father’s footsteps.”

“Not exactly,” Light clarified, staring into his water glass, “Actually, I was planning on something a bit more private. Detective work is much better for me.”

“Oh,” L pieced it together, “So, you’re looking something similar to what I do?”

“I don’t know if I could be on your level,” Light tried a bit of flattery, hoping that could grease the wheels for his paycheck, “Aren’t you considered the best in the world?”

“Someone’s been doing his homework.” _I don’t see how he could since I didn’t even give him my full name. Maybe you do have what it takes to be as good as me._

“Only by reputation,” Light corrected him, “I’ve heard some things about you from my father. You’re the best there is, aren’t you?”

“That’s what they say,” L hid a little smirk, “Can I let you in on a little secret, Light?”

“Sure,” Light allowed, “I’ll take it to my grave.”

“They’re wrong,” L confessed, “I’m not the world’s greatest detective.”

“What?” Light was lost, “How is that not true? You are, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am,” L explained, “But not only am I the best in the world, I’m the top three detectives in the world.”

“What do you mean?” Light wondered, “How is that possible? You’re just one person.”

“That’s right,” L nodded, “But the top three detectives in the world? They’re all different aliases I use. That’s how good I am.”

“So much for being humble,” Light jabbed, “That’s incredible.”

“Thank you,” L took a proper bow, “Now, more importantly, because you said you were an open book, I have a few more questions I’d like to ask you. If that’s alright.”

“Go ahead.”

“It’s about work,” L began, “What was the real problem with your phone? It couldn’t just have been school stuff. You looked too upset by it for it to only be school stuff.”

Light’s face fell completely. _So, this is why he invited me here. To corner me into asking whatever he wanted. And this was what was burning on his mind?_ After a good drink from his water, Light pulled himself together, “It’s something I’d really not get into.”

“I told you one of my biggest secrets,” L pointed out, “I’m sure whatever was bothering you is much less severe than you knowing my aliases.”

“And this is completely off the record?” Light hoped.

“One hundred percent off the record.”

“If this is going to stay between us,” Light stipulated. _Dammit…He got me,_ “It was the university’s financial office. They haven’t been able to leave me alone lately. My scholarship is dwindling and…Well…To-Oh doesn’t come cheap.”

“I’d imagine not,” L figured, “It’s one of the top schools in the country. That’s going to come with a price. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“That’s what I needed this job for,” Light came completely clean, “And why I needed to know if it would be a paid position.”

_Money troubles, huh? I’m sure me taking you out like this doesn’t help your cause,_ “How much do you still owe?”

“A little under a million yen,” Light winced, his outstanding balance burning a hole in his brain. 

“Hmm…” L looked Light over with the most covertness, ‘And you figure working for me will help?”

“I’m hoping so,” Light kept his fingers crossed under the table. He hated nothing more than begging for money. Or even asking for it. This whole conversation made his skin crawl.

“Alright then,” L dropped it, digging the cherry out of the bottom of his glass and casually popping it in his mouth, “We can discuss that in your contract on Monday. For now, we can wrap up here and…Let’s take a walk. Just you and me.”

Light kept his guard up, “You mean, right now?”

“I don’t know when else I’d be talking about,” L got up from his chair, dropping the knotted cherry stem back into his milkshake glass,

“It’s getting kind of late,” Light pointed out, following L’s lead, “I really should be getting home.”

“Oh,” L let it go, a bit disappointed, “Ok. If you’d like, the car is still up front. It can take you home. Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” Light gave him a bit of a smile, “For all of this.”

“You’re welcome,” L nodded back, “Good night, Light.”

“Good night, L,” Light extended the same courtesy, “I’ll see you Monday.”

“Yes, you will.” And just like that, Light went back downstairs and out the front door…With L watching the whole way. _Damn. I really was hoping to ask you…Another time perhaps. A better chance to prepare. A better chance for you not to run._

As Light climbed back into the car, he slumped down in his seat. _That was nice. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to sit in a restaurant in Omotesando. At least I didn’t have to feel like there was a gun in my back like every other time. Sure, this might have been a pretentious gesture, but it came from a good place. I think. We’ll see on Monday._ The car pulled up in front of Light’s house and Light gave a thankful nod to the driver. In a perfect world, he would’ve tipped him, but unfortunately, the last of his cash went to a lovely young hostess in Omotesando. 

Things were quiet in the Yagami house that evening. By the still silence, Light assumed that everyone had already gone to bed. However, from the outside of the house, he did see one light still on. He knew exactly which room that was coming from and dreaded it all the same. _Hopefully, if I’m quiet enough, Sayu won’t know I’m home. She’ll go to sleep and I’ll be in the clear._ Although, Light knew that was wishful thinking.

“So…?” Sayu slinked over to her brother’s bedroom, “How’d it go?”

“In the morning, Sayu,” Light threw himself onto his bed, “I’m exhausted.”

“Come on, Light!” she begged, “Please? Give me something!”

“Good night, Sayu…”


	4. Free Credit and Free Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! It’s always a pleasure to see you. How’s it going? Staying away from the alcohol? I can’t really be that guy. I don’t stay away from the alcohol. It’s cool if you don’t either. If you’re of legal age in your country, who am I to kill your buzz? Drink responsibly, kids. Anyway, happy day three. Enjoy.

Light woke up the next morning to the sun shining in his eyes and a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something would happen today. He couldn’t his finger on what, but he had an uneasy feeling about the day. Even worse, a sudden realization hit. He had to face Sayu. He knew what her tenacious persistence was capable of. _Maybe I could get lucky and she’ll forget all about last night. The chances of that happening are slim, but it’s worth a shot._ With cautious optimism in his heart, Light got out of bed and headed downstairs.

The kitchen was quiet. The living room had something on the TV that Sayu happened to be glued to. Light let out a little sigh of relief. _I’m in the clear._ He got a coffee mug down from the cabinet and poured the liquid batteries his brain needed for the day into it. And because he was such a sweetheart, he topped off his mother’s cup as well, “Morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Sachiko greeted him with a sweet smile on her face.

Little did Light know, two little words out of his mouth were enough to break the spell the TV held over his sister. The second he turned around, Sayu was sitting at the table, waiting patiently for her brother to join her with the biggest grin on her face, “Good morning, Light.”

“Morning…” _Dammit. So much for being in the clear._ Light took the seat across from her.

“So?” Sayu wondered, a joyous and anxious lilt in her voice, “Are you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Light played it off, hoping she forgot. _Come on, Sayu. Don’t do this here. Not now._

“Am I really going to have to dig it out of you?” she wasn’t here to play. Sayu knew there was something Light was hiding from her and she would not hesitate to play dirty if she had to.

“Dig what out of him?” Soichiro joined the others in the kitchen, “Sayu, are you pestering your brother?”

“Yes,” Light didn’t even have to think about it.

“Light had a date last night,” Sayu blurted out, “He said he’d tell me all about it when he came home. He didn’t. He said he’d tell me in the morning. And here we are, in the morning.”

“You had a date last night, Light?” Sachiko perked up, sitting down at the table with the same excitement as Sayu, “Who was she? What’s her name?”

“That’s where the plot thickens,” Sayu went on while Light prayed for a silent death, “It was his new boss.”

“Your new boss?” Soichiro wondered, “You mean, L? You got the internship?”

“Yeah,” Light wanted nothing more than to crawl under the table. All because his sister couldn’t keep her big mouth shut, “I got my internship. L asked me to dinner last night. It _wasn’t_ a date, Sayu.”

“I still say it was a date,” Sayu shrugged, “But whatever you say, Light.”

“That’s great about your internship, Light,” Soichiro praised, “What’d you think of him?”

“You weren’t kidding when you said he was eccentric,” Light chuckled nervously, “But he’s brilliant.”

“I told you,” Soichiro pointed out, “And since you got the job, he took you out to celebrate?”

“Looks like it.”

“How’d that go?”

“Yeah, Light,” Sayu listened closely with bated breath, “How did that go? We’re all dying to know.”

_I’ve never been so compelled to hit a woman. She’s lucky she’s my sister,_ “He mostly asked personal questions. The kinds of things he couldn’t ask in the interview. And he told me about some of his own credentials. They’re definitely impressive.”

“There’s a reason why he’s the best,” Soichiro confirmed.

_The top three, from what I understand._ Light got up from the table, “I’m happy to be working under him now, but I have other things to take care of today.”

“Come on, Light,” Sayu whined, “There has to be more.”

“Not really,” Light assured. _Nothing I’d want to tell you anyway,_ “That’s pretty much it.”

“Boo!”

“Sayu…” Soichiro hushed her.

Light ignored his sister’s complaints and ran back upstairs, shutting his bedroom door behind him. _That wasn’t too bad. It could’ve been a hell of a lot worse. I can’t believe she still wants to call it a date. L just wanted to know some off the record things about me. I still wish he wouldn’t have asked for details about my emails. That wasn’t his business. But no sense in waffling around it. He was bound to find out eventually. Once I started asking for overtime…and raises…_ Light was still too proud to beg for money. Especially from someone like L. Despite knowing he had enough to give, it still made Light uncomfortable.

Beep!

Speaking of things that made Light uncomfortable. His email alert broke the still silence in the room. _Another one?_ Light glared down his phone and took a deep breath. _Please don’t be the admissions office. Please don’t be the admissions office. For the love of every deity in the known universe, DO NOT be the admissions office._ With Light’s little prayer thrown out into the ether, he picked his phone up from the middle of his bed. Only for his prayers to be met with complete indifference. In big, bold letters, the email address for the To-Oh admissions office burned into Light’s eyes. _Dammit. So much for that._ He knew what was coming. He knew what waited for him. Yet another collections notice. _My credit has got to be in the toilet by now. The longer I put this off, the worse it’s going to be. Might as well rip the bandage off._

_Dear, Mr. Yagami…_

_…What?_

Light closed his email and opened it back up again, unable to believe what it said. _This can’t be right. This must have been sent to the wrong person. There’s no way in hell this was meant for me._

_Dear Mr. Yagami,_

_Thank you for your last payment of eight hundred thirty-three thousand yen to our admissions office. We are pleased to announce that your tuition for your final semester has been paid in full. Thank you for your cooperation._

_With regards,_

_To-Oh University Admissions_

_This can’t be right._ Light stared at his screen, still in denial. _In…Full? This had to be someone else’s email. It has to be a different Mr. Yagami. There’s no way this is for me. I’m dreaming. I’m still asleep. That’s all this is._ Light bit down on the back of his tongue. And hard. Only to feel a sharp jolt of pain run through his mouth. His heart tried to escape his chest, but the only thing coming out of his body were the buckets of sweat dripping from every pore. _There’s no way this is right. My…Tuition’s paid off? How? How?!_

Light walked back downstairs, noticing Sayu had already gone back to her bedroom. The only one Light could find was Soichiro, thumbing through the Sunday paper, “Hey, Dad? Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course, Light,” Soichiro allowed, folding his paper, “Is everything alright?”

“You…” Light told his father that he’d be able to take care of his college tuition. That his scholarships would be more than enough. He didn’t want him to worry and think he was struggling. _That’s more than justifiable cause to do it. Please say no,_ “You didn’t happen to…pay off my tuition…did you?”

“No,” Soichiro shook his head, “Why? You weren’t behind, were you?”

“No,” Light lied through his teeth, “I was fine. It’s just…Have we had any distant relatives die recently? Ones that had a soft spot for me and may have left me an inheritance?”

“Not that I know of,” Soichiro grew suspicious, “Light, what’s going on?”

“It’s nothing,” Light brushed him off, “You may want to check on that. On both sides.”

“Why do you ask?” Soichiro pressed it harder.

“It really is nothing,” Light stuck to his guns, still just as concerned as to how his tuition got paid off. _Clerical error? A gifted hacker that’s been erasing any sort of student debt? Someone majoring in computer studies? I mean…I’m not upset. I just…I need to know how the hell this happened._

When Light went back to his room, his phone had gone off again. _Oh, God, what now? Is this when they tell me they screwed up their numbers and that I’m still screwed for next semester? At least until I hopefully get my first paycheck?_ Light grabbed his phone, still praying for it to not be the admissions office. However, the address didn’t look familiar. Nothing but a combination of letters and numbers. Nothing Light had ever seen before. In all honesty, he was afraid to open it, given the risk for infecting his phone or his computer. Or set a tracker on him. _A risk I’m going to have to take, I guess._ The little envelope opened on the screen.

_Thank me later._

_2PM_

_Aoyama_

_Note Blue_

_-L_

_What?_ Light sat back, still just as stunned from the first email. _Did…WHAT?! Is that why he wanted to know how much I had left?_ Immediately, Light dialed the number from the business card he swiped off L’s desk at his interview. It rang…

“I’m sorry,” the machine answered, “The number you are trying to reach is…”

Click.

_Dammit! I wasn’t expecting his voicemail._ Light realized he had no choice. The Note Blue. Aoyama. Two o'clock. Light refused to believe Sayu’s ramblings of it being a date. It was merely a…business meeting. That’s it. A business meeting. Where Light intended to tell L to stay out of his business. Although, at the same time, he could tell that L had a certain stubbornness about him. Much like his own. He knew L wasn’t going to take it back and it was already processed in the To-Oh systems by now. He needed to thank him at the very least. _It won’t go unpaid._

As Light started looking through his closet for something to wear (not nearly as stressed about it this time. He wasn’t out to impress anyone. Especially not L. L had done enough.), a little knock tapped at his door, “What?”

“Hey, Light,” Sayu came in with innocent intentions, “My math homework is kind of a thorn in my side. If I pay you a thousand yen, will you do it for me?”

“You need to be able to do it yourself, too, Sayu,” Light ignored her request altogether, “Besides, I have more important things to do today than your homework.”

“This seems familiar,” she teased, “You got another one, Light?”

“I told you, Sayu,” he groaned, “They’re not dates. But I am meeting up with him, if you have to know.”

“I’m not judging,” Sayu dropped it, “Proofs suck, though, Light. Isn’t this the kind of thing you can do in your sleep?”

“Figure it out,” Light pulled out a pair of pants and a t-shirt from what he liked to call the before times, “I told you. I have more important things to do today. It’s your own fault for waiting to do your homework on a Sunday.”

“If you loved me even a little bit,” she guilted him, “You’d at least help me.”

“I’ll help you with it when I come back,” he promised, “Under _one_ condition.”

“Anything.” Sayu was desperate. She had herself convinced that she didn’t have the brain for proofing. And she knew she had a test coming up. She’d do anything to get her genius big brother to help her.

“You stop calling these meetings with L dates,” Light stipulated, “They’re not dates. Got it?”

“Swear,” Sayu promised, “Not another word. And to make it even better, I won’t ask you anything about it when you get back. It’ll be totally about my homework.”

“Thank you,” he gave her an appreciative nod, “But just because I’m gone, that doesn’t give you an excuse to slack off on it. At least try to understand how to do it.”

“But if I know how to do it by the time you get back,” she pointed out, “How are you supposed to help me?”

“Fair point,” Light agreed, “But still not an excuse.”

“Fine,” Sayu let out a heavy sigh, “Thanks, Light.”

“Oh, no,” Light let her go, “Thank _you_.”

Light knew how excitable Sayu could get, but after the mess that ensued after his last breakup, she just wanted to see Light smile again. And if it meant the occasional teasing about him dating his boss, then so be it. Light could deny it all he wanted. If it meant Sayu getting a cheap giggle, albeit at his expense, he could live through the suffering. However, he had bigger things on his mind. Like the fact that his college tuition was paid off by the newest person in his life that, according to Light, had no business doing that. _Not to sound ungrateful, but…we just met YESTERDAY. What would make him want to do that? There’s no way it was out of the goodness of his own heart._

Regardless, Light stepped outside, relieved there was no town car. _Good. I don’t need to be having any flashbacks. At least it wasn’t a limo. She would’ve sent a limo._ And to make things better, he could be completely on his own. Light knew where the Note Blue was. He knew the exact lines to take on the bullet train. He could make it there in thirty minutes, give or take for his walking speed and whatever the condition of the place was when he got there. For the Note Blue to have lines that went out the door wasn’t exactly uncommon. 

When Light walked into the Note Blue, it was oddly quiet for the middle of the afternoon. But it was a Sunday. He looked around for his contact. And alas, he was nowhere to be found. It had him confused. _I’m pretty sure this is where L told me to meet him._ Light checked the email again for confirmation. _Yeah. Note Blue, two o'clock. Here I am. Now, where the hell are you? Or are you going to keep me waiting for another hour again? Did you go down for another afternoon nap? Or did you take that before noon again?_ Light let it go, realizing where he could possibly be. _Upstairs. Of course._ Light ran up to the lofted area and sure enough, sitting by himself on his feet, there was L. 

“It’s about time,” L jabbed, “I was worried you weren’t going to come.”

“Here I am,” Light opened up his confirmation email from the admissions office, “Care to explain this?”

“Like I said,” L dropped a sugar cube into his tea. And another. And another. And another, “A simple thank you will do.”

“L,” Light sat down, “I can’t accept this. It’s…It’s too much.”

“Light…” L flicked him in the forehead.

“What the hell?” Light blinked a couple times.

“No,” L hushed him, “It’s not your place to tell me where to spend my money. With sound mind and body, I chose to spend that money on paying off your tuition. Simple as that.”

“Then,” Light decided. _This is going to hurt to say, but I don’t have any other choice,_ “At least keep my first few paychecks.”

“No chance.”

“Please?” Light begged, “Let me pay you back somehow.”

“No,” L stood his ground, “Not happening. It’s fine, Light. Don’t worry about it. Two little words are all I ask. I mean…Ideally, it’d be three, but right now, I’ll settle for two.”

“Three?”

“What are the two I’m looking for, Light?” _Oh, he’s going to be a difficult one, isn’t he? I’ll crack him. Soon enough. They all have a breaking point. Although, I thought for sure this would be his._

Light swallowed his pride and finally began to relax, “Thank you. Really and truly. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” L gave him a nod, “Trust me, Light. Your tuition fees were no big deal. With those off your mind, you’ll be able to focus more on work. I can’t handle distractions and if I have an assistant with distractions, then I’ll have a distraction. As I said, simple as that.”

_It must be nice to think like that._ Light pulled himself together a little better, “I have to be able to do something. How can I repay you?”

“You can start,” L dropped another sugar cube in his tea, “by relaxing a little. That’d be a good start.”

“Fine,” Light dropped his shoulders, “I’m relaxed. What now?”

“You’re not relaxed,” L saw through him, “You still seem tense.”

“What do you expect?” Light snapped, “First, it’s dinner last night. Now, you pay off my tuition. You invite me here. Can you blame me?”

“Please,” L requested, “Sit with me for a while. That’s all I ask. Just an hour or two of your time. Without you all riled up.”

“Riled…?!” Light stopped himself before he could get any worse. _An hour or two of my time? I can do that,_ “Fine.”

“Thank you,” L smiled a bit, taking pleasure in his victory, “Do you want anything?”

“No,” Light shot him down, “I’m good.”

“You sure?” _Because my heart says you’re not. And that you do._

“Yeah,” Light dropped it, “I’m fine.”

“Alright then,” L knew how to turn this one around, “In that case, how do you take your coffee?”

“Um…” Light looked at him strange, “Hot? Splash of cream. A little sugar. Why?”

“No reason,” L flagged down his waiter.

“Is there something you need, sir?” he ran right over.

“Can I get a caramel macchiato and a strawberry shortcake?” L ordered.

“Right away, sir!”

“L,” Light tried to stop the waiter, but the waiter was too quick, “I don’t need all of that.”

“Who said the cake was for you?” L argued, “I like you, Light, but I could be in the position to propose to you tomorrow and I’m still not sharing my cake. If you come near it, you will leave here with a broken hand. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, sure,” Light wasn’t going to argue that one. _This guy…He’s a hard one to read._

“You are going to stay here, though, right?” L wondered, “Just for a while? Besides, you can’t leave now.”

“Why not?” Light jumped on the defensive, “What’s keeping me from walking down those stairs and out the front door?”

“You have coffee coming, Light,” L pointed out, “And besides, you wanted a way to pay me back. I’m making a very simple request.”

Light knew he was cornered. Again. _What is with this guy wanting to pin me down? He already owns me,_ “Fine.”

“Thank you.” L dropped in yet another sugar cube, “That tuition payment does come with a stipulation, though, Light.”

_There it is. There’s the string,_ “What’s that?”

“You need to stay in school until you have a degree under your belt,” L told him, “I think we can manage that one, can’t we?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.” _Oh, yes…Yes, yes, yes. You are going to be a hard one to break, but rest assured, Light Yagami. You will be broken. Soon enough._


	5. Exes and NDAs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, you beautiful creature. And welcome to day four. It sucks that tomorrow’s the last day until August, but for the most part, this has been fun. You’re more than welcome to recommend this to whoever you’d like. With the exception of the asshole troll on Tumblr that tore me to shreds for zero reason (and did a full copy/paste repost of one of my stories. That smells like art theft.). But I digress. Anyway, let’s get back into this. It’s only Thursday. And we’ll have another one tomorrow. Cheer up, friends. We’re still here. x

Light always thought the way L sat was strange. However, in the few minutes he had been sitting with L, those tables had turned. L was curious about the reason why Light couldn’t sit still. _Drugs? No. His father is a police chief. I doubt Light dabbles in drugs. Besides, that’s not a crack or a cocaine high. It’s not even a caffeine high._ Light’s eyes kept darting toward anywhere he could use as an exit. _I’m starting to think it’s me. Did I do something? I’m starting to develop a complex._ Not even L could figure out what had Light so jumpy. He had no other choice.

“Light,” L asked, “Am I keeping you from something?”

“No,” Light answered immediately. Almost as if it were out of reflex. He settled himself in the next breath, “I’m sorry. It’s really not you.”

“Tell me you’re not about to use the oldest line in the book on me,” L hoped, mildly irritated. It wouldn’t be the first time he heard it, but he was hoping it’d be the last.

“No,” Light assured, “Really. It’s not you. I just…Have a thing about overly nice places.”

“You hid it well last night,” L retaliated, “Why can’t you handle nice places? Is it a deeply psychological thing where you don’t think you deserve them?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth like that,” Light defended, “If you really have to know, my ex-girlfriend liked to take me to nice places like this. Even then, it kind of made my skin crawl.”

“Oh,” L backed off. _So that’s what it was,_ “I’m sorry…I didn’t think this would’ve bothered you that much.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Light brushed it off, “It’s not like you knew.”

“That bad?”

“Let’s just call it the beginning of the end,” Light explained, taking a good, long sip from his macchiato.

“A messy breakup, I assume?” L wondered.

“That…” Light cringed, his stomach turning, “That’s the gentle way of putting it.”

“Tell me about it,” L insisted.

“Is this really appropriate?” Light shot him down, “The whole, me whining about my ex thing? I mean…You’re technically my boss. Shouldn’t our relationship be strictly professional?”

“Not necessarily,” L told him, “Besides, we’re off the clock and you’re not quite on the payroll yet. No official paperwork has been filed, so if you want to look at this from a legal standpoint, this is perfectly fine. Please. Tell me about her.”

“I’m not sure how much I can tell you,” Light chuckled nervously, “She was…High profile. Let’s just say that.”

“You were dating a celebrity?” L gave him a look, “I’m impressed.”

“Trust me,” Light grumbled, trying to suppress the memories she left him with, “It was miserable. A lot of people think it’d be great to date a celebrity. They’d have that kind of label they could throw around. They had their star power to hide behind if things ever went bad for them. Or they could ride on their coattails. No. It’s miserable. At least it was for me. I thought it’d be great at one point, too. But having to live _her_ life…It’s exhausting. Any event she’d go to, I’d get assumed as her handler, not her boyfriend. It was awful.”

“So,” L figured, “You’re more of the stay at home on a Saturday night type?”

“After what she put me through?” Light nodded, “Absolutely.”

“Understandable.”

“Sure,” Light went on, “It had its perks, but the disrespect wasn’t worth it.”

“I’m assuming you were the one to break it off,” L hoped. _Oh, Light…What kind of mess do I have to clean up?_

“Yeah,” Light shuddered, “That was not a pretty breakup. She blew up, kicked me out of our apartment, and replaced me in a week. The shit part about breaking up with a celebrity? Still seeing her face everywhere. I went back home and holed up in my bedroom for a while after that.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” L empathized with him. But then, an idea struck, “Do you think you’d ever want to get back together with her?”

“If she had a major attitude adjustment,” Light grumbled, “Then, maybe I’d think about it.”

L treaded lightly, “Would she want you back if she saw you out with someone else?”

“Definitely,” Light scoffed, “If I even looked in the direction of another woman, she’d have an absolute fit. And that’s when we were together. There’s no telling what she’d do now that we’re apart. She’s always wanted what she couldn’t have. And if someone told her she couldn’t have it, the world crumbled around her.”

“So,” L wondered, “Have you ever thought about doing that?”

“Doing what?” Light ran his finger around his coffee cup.

“Seeing someone just to make her jealous?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “That’s too petty. Even for me.”

“But…?” L coaxed him a bit.

“I’d be lying if I said I never thought about it before,” Light smirked, “With the right person, that might even be kind of fun.”

“So,” L assumed, “You’d need someone on the same level of petty as you?”

“That smells like disaster waiting to happen,” Light giggled, “I’d have to think about it. But like I said, it’d have to be the right person as my partner-in-crime.”

“Well,” L shifted his seating position to his other foot, “As much fun as that sounds, what else did you have planned for the rest of the day? I’m sure your calendar didn’t revolve around coming down here to tear me a new one for paying off your tuition.”

“Nothing too pressing,” Light admitted, “Why?”

“Curious,” L brushed him off, “I can’t get to know my new assistant? Last night was all I got?”

“No,” Light settled him, “It’s fine. Anything specific you want to know?”

“There is one thing,” L hid that same mischievous look Light wore on his sleeve not moments ago, “What was her name?”

“No,” Light’s eyes grew wider, “No, no, no. I can’t tell you that. When I say she was high profile, I meant she _is incredibly_ high profile. You know how I told you that I’d be mistaken as her handler?”

“Yes.”

“When they stopped believing I was her handler,” Light added, “She would have me dropped off a block away and brought in through the back door. Do you know how many bouncers tried throwing me out for that? She’d have to meet me by the door, so they wouldn’t beat the shit out of me.”

“Why?” L asked, “That just seems…well, stupid.”

“It helped us avoid the cameras,” Light went on, “And when any press did get inside, they were forced to sign NDAs or they were immediately escorted out. She wanted to keep us out of the press. I was what she did on her off time.”

“Excellent choice of words, Light,” L teased, “I’m assuming that wasn’t intentional.”

“Yes, but no,” Light rolled his eyes, catching his double entendre.

“So, about those NDAs,” L pressed forward, “Did you have to sign one, too?”

“For events, no,” Light confessed, “But for her, personally? Yes. It was to keep herself safe. Just in case we broke up, she didn’t want me exposing her to the press. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not have that lawsuit on my hands. That means dealing with her again. And I can only assume she’s gotten worse.”

“You know, Light,” L sighed out, a little smile gracing his face, “We really should do this more often. This is nice.”

“What?” Light asked, “Hang out off the clock?”

“Or on it,” L pointed out, leaning over the table, “At this point, Light, I decide your fate. As far as work is concerned. You don’t work for the NPA. You work for me and me alone.”

“Ok.” _That came off kind of threatening, right? That’s not just me? But…_ Light wouldn’t even admit it to himself. However, a certain chill ran through his body. Whether or not he liked it was still up in the air.

“Good,” L got up from his chair, “I’m glad you understand that. Now, if it’s alright with you, let’s take a walk. The one we were supposed to take last night, but you decided to go home instead.”

“I already said I’d spend a couple hours of my free time with you, L,” Light reminded him. _I knew that L paying off my tuition would come with strings. Hopefully, this will hurt a lot less than the million emails I get from the admissions office,_ “Sure. Where were you thinking?”

“You’ll see,” L started down the stairs with Light following closely behind him. _So, this is the challenge in front of me, is it? I think I can find a way to make this work to my advantage. Light thinks there isn’t anyone who could match his level of pettiness as far as his ex-girlfriend is concerned. Little does he know, he’s never seen petty like my own. If you’d like to see petty, Light, just you wait. I can show you petty._

L let Light into the car before him and told the driver where to go. Although, it had Light confused, “I thought you said we were taking a walk.”

“You didn’t think we were walking through Aoyama, did you?” L wondered, “Of course not. Besides, I do have some minor business to handle elsewhere.”

Light had that sinking feeling that he’d never be able to fully understand what L was about. But he let it go. If worst came to worst, Light still had his phone on him. He’d be able to call for help. _The little victories. That still didn’t explain where the hell L planned on taking us. I wonder if this could legally count as kidnapping. In some countries, I’m sure it could. He was taking me to an unknown location with only slight consent._ But then, Light knew exactly where they were going. _Seriously? Omotesando again? Why? Of all places, why?_

“What do you have to do in Omotesando?” Light wondered, trying to not look so pained.

“There are a few places I need to stop by,” L told him, “I hope that’s alright.”

“Sure.” _I mean, I just told you coming here made me nauseous, but by all means…_ Out of nowhere, Light started getting flashbacks to his ex-girlfriend. And a shrill voice rang in his head. _Light, are you listening? Excuse me, SIR, can you take this picture for us? Thanks. You’re such a sweetie!_ It was enough to make Light want to throw himself out of the car.

“Light?” L took notice, “Are you alright?”

“What?” Light snapped out of his unsettling headspace, “Yeah. Fine. Why?”

“You looked like you were in pain,” L pointed out, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m good,” Light brushed it off, going back into full suppression mode.

_There’s a time and a place for pettiness. He’s hiding something from me. Maybe taking him to Omotesando wasn’t the best idea._ L leaned up to the driver, “Excuse me. We’re changing destinations.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you mean?” Light asked, “I thought you said you had business to take care of in Omotesando.”

“That can wait,” L dropped it, “I know somewhere better we can go.”

“Ok,” Light wasn’t going to argue with him. Anywhere was better than Omotesando. He didn’t need to go into more flashbacks. Instead of the cold steel of Omotesando, L and Light ended up somewhere much more peaceful. Somewhere Light didn’t get around to going to often. He gave L a little nudge, “Shimokitazawa?”

“Yes, Light,” L nodded, “I figured this would be a much better place than Omotesando. Drop us off here.”

“Yes, sir.” The car stopped in front of a small corner café.

“Thank you,” L gave him a little wave and the driver left L and Light at that café.

“Why here?” Light asked.

“Why not?” L retaliated, “It’s quiet, but it’s not too far removed from civilization. The little shops are cozy. The cafés are quaint. I like it here. Can I tell you a secret, Light?”

“Sure,” Light allowed, “What is it?”

“Since I came to Japan,” L confessed, “This is where I like to go to fall off the face of the Earth. When I don’t want to be found, this is where you’ll find me. It worries the hell out of Watari, but he still knows where I am. Somewhere around this area.”

“Are you and Watari close?” Light caught up with L at the opposite corner.

“You could say that,” L nodded, “Whenever I travel, Watari is always with me. We go everywhere together. Except for here, of course, but he does respect my boundaries when I need them.”

“You talk about him like he’s your parent,” Light joked.

“You could say that, too,” L smiled a bit, a familiar warmth radiating from inside, “You know, Light, I’ve never brought anyone here before. I never thought I would. I thought this would only be a section of the world I would go and no one would follow. But I’m glad you came with me.”

“If Shimokitazawa is so sacred to you,” Light gave him a look, “Why did you bring _me_ here? We’ve only known each other for a couple days. There’s no way I’ve made that much of an impact on you.”

“On the contrary,” L admitted, “Don’t be so quick to sell yourself short, Light. I like you. There’s no doubt about that. That’s half the reason why I hired you. I had a gut feeling that you and I are going to work very well together. We’ll see how your first day of work goes, but I have a good feeling about you. I look forward to seeing just how well we’ll work together on Monday.”

“So do I,” Light agreed, “Maybe if we’re lucky, we can come out of this friends.”

“If we’re even luckier,” L hoped, “We’ll come out of this partners. This might be a pipe dream, but if certain investigations keep me in Japan long enough for you to finish college and our work chemistry is something extraordinary, perhaps you’ll be able to continue assisting me in later endeavors.”

“You think so?” Light’s heart stopped. _This guy really does have faith in me, doesn’t he?_

“I hope so,” L kept his fingers crossed. _And if we’re even luckier than that…No…We’ll save that for another day,_ “Come on. There’s a café on the river. I need more cake.”

“Lead the way.” 


	6. Crepes and Classes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends. Well…It’s that time again. I’m glad to have had you this week because damn, it’s been fun. Mostly teasing the hell out of you. I’m an asshole. It’s true. But it’s all in good fun. I’ll miss you terribly. Because I’ve been firing off ideas for this particular story (that, if I’m being honest, I barely know where it’s going.) nonstop for the last few days. Particularly on walks with my dog. Don’t ask why that’s what gets the juices going, but it works. But really and truly, I’ll miss you. I’ve come to know and love you guys so much. But it’ll only be for a few weeks. Don’t forget me, ok? I’ll be back August 4th. It’s a date. Love you. x

Later that night, L had brought Light home and Light went straight upstairs. He had a civics midterm coming up that he needed to study for. However, his mind was elsewhere. _L…He’s definitely something else. I don’t think a team of scientist and six months of isolation and around the clock study could figure that guy out. At least I know there will never be a dull moment at work. And he was generous enough to pay off my tuition. All I have to do is stay in school. That shouldn’t be too difficult._ Then, Light heard a gentle knock at his door.

“Come in,” he called out.

Sayu peeked her head in the door, “Hi, Light.”

“Hey,” Light let her in, “Did you still need help with your homework, Sayu?”

“I managed to figure it out,” she sat on his bed, “I actually came in to say good night.”

“Really?” he asked, a bit confused, “I just spent the entire afternoon and the early evening with my boss and you’re not even going to ask me about it?”

“Nope,” she shook her head, “That’s your business. It’s not my place to ask or to pry.”

“Wow,” Light gasped, “That’s very big of you, Sayu. I’m impressed.”

“Thank you.”

Although, Light knew better. He knew his sister wasn’t going to suddenly turn over a new leaf. Not after the hell she put him through earlier that morning, “You’re dying to know about every little detail, aren’t you, Sayu?”

“Oh, god, yes!” Sayu squeaked, laying on her stomach, “Please! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”

“Bed, Sayu…” Light ordered, holding his face in his hands. _I knew it._

“Aww…” Sayu got up from Light’s bed and started walking back to her bedroom with a sad look on her face.

_I can’t do this to her. She’s dangled enough,_ “Sayu…”

“What?” she pouted in the hallway.

Light hid a little smile from her, “I meant my bed. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Yes!” Sayu jumped onto Light’s bed, “I love you, Light! Tell me everything!”

As Light recounted his afternoon with his boss, L sat in his beautifully lavish hotel suit, taking in the views Tokyo had to offer. Light wasn’t the only one sufficiently distracted by the events of the day. _Light is…Definitely going to be an interesting case to take on. I say case…And I’ve only seen what’s on the surface. I wonder what he’s got deep down inside him. What he’s not showing anyone. Hopefully, we’ll find a way of getting that out of him._ L scrolled through the pictures on his phone that Watari took the day of Light’s interview, smiling a little.

“L,” Watari called to him, “If it’s alright with you, I’m going to go to bed.”

“Yes,” L allowed, “Go ahead.”

“Do you need anything before I do?” Watari asked.

“No,” L was quiet, “I’m fine. Thank you. Good night, Watari.”

“Good night.” And with those few words said, Watari started walking toward his room.

“Watari,” L stopped him, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Watari stood at L’s side, “Is there something bothering you?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s bothering me,” L closed the photos, “What do you think about Light?”

“Yagami?” Watari thought it over for a moment or two, “He’s alright. I don’t have much of an opinion of him either way. I don’t know enough about him. But from what I’ve seen, he seems ok. Why?”

“Curious.” Mostly because there was no one’s opinion in this world that L trusted more than Watari’s. If Light was good enough for Watari, he’d be good enough for L. That’s why he had Watari screening people before they’d go in for their interviews, “Good night.”

“Good night,” Watari gave him a little bow and started walking back to his room. Only to stop in the middle of his doorway, “If you’re asking my opinion, it’s too early for that.”

“For what?” L played it off, knowing exactly what Watari was trying to get at. This wasn’t the first time L was at this kind of crossroads.

“You forget how long we’ve known each other,” Watari chuckled to himself, “I know when there’s something bothering you.”

“Was I that obvious?” L came clean.

“I’d say paying off his student debt was a loud enough statement,” Watari took the empty chair next to L.

“What?” L shrugged, “I believe in his education. It’d be a shame if he didn’t finish because he couldn’t keep up with the payments.”

“L…” Watari stared him down, well aware of L’s patterns.

“Alright, alright,” L caved, “I understand what you’re saying. Don’t overdo it or I’ll end up scaring him off.”

“Precisely.”

“But…” L confessed, “I got him to talk about his ex-girlfriend today.”

“His ex- _girlfriend?_ ” Watari gave him a look.

“Please,” L rolled his eyes, “Like that has anything to do with it. To say it didn’t end well would be like saying World War II was just an argument among friends. He spoke of her like she was some sort of disease. Like if an abused dog could speak about its previous owner. But much like that abused dog, there’s no telling what a loving home could do for it.”

“It could also break him entirely,” Watari pointed out, “You’re right. There is no telling what a loving home could do for it. However, that doesn’t mean he’d be so willing to accept it.”

“I know,” L grumbled, “He’s going to be a handful. I knew that from the first second I met him. But Watari…I don’t want to lose this one.”

“He wouldn’t be the only one who’s been through this before,” Watari argued, “Are you sure you’re ready for another one?”

L felt an ache in his chest, remembering his past. _That was then. They were different,_ “I think so. Light…He’s different. He’s nothing like the others. I don’t think he has it in him to be a complete diva or an absolute brat. Although…If he had a little of that in him, I wouldn’t turn him away. Those are alright in moderation.”

“Could I make a suggestion?” Watari asked.

“Of course. What is it?”

“Maybe you should get some sleep,” Watari offered, “See what you think in the morning.”

L stared Watari down blankly, “Watari, please. Be reasonable.”

“You never know,” Watari got up, “It may do you some good to get some sleep once in a while.”

“I do get sleep once in a while,” L assured him. However, he knew sleep would elude him even more so than the average night, “I won’t jump into this headfirst, though.”

“Thank you,” Watari went back toward his room, “Good night, L.”

“Good night, Watari,” L waved him off. _Maybe I should go to bed. Let’s be honest. What good is that going to do? I’ll lay there with my thoughts racing even worse than usual and sleep, yet again, would elude me._ L got up from his chair and decided to take a walk around the block. Something to ease his heavy head.

_I know you’ve been over this before, Light, but I can promise you I wouldn’t be like that. Not like her. Although, it’d help if I knew who she was. All I’d need is a name. I get her name and I’d be able to further learn from her mistakes. It’s not like Light won’t vent more about her to me. This afternoon was all the proof I needed of that. If I would’ve let him continue, I have no doubt he would’ve went spiraling down a rabbit hole we didn’t need to go down today._ A sudden sweet smell caught L’s nose, warming him from the inside. _Mmm…Smells like home._ He found a crepe stand at the end of the next block over and couldn’t resist. 

L continued his walk with three strawberry crepes in his hand. He tended to eat his feelings instead of feeling them. And nothing sated him quite like sweets. _Light…Why can’t I get you out of my head? I mean…I know I’ve done this before. You’ve done this before. But why do you feel different? Why do you occupy my final thoughts for the night? Is it just because I’ve seen quite a bit of you in the last few days? Or is it something else? And if it is something else, what is that something else? More importantly, why did I only get three of these?_ L debated for a moment whether or not to go back to that crepe stand for more, but he stopped himself. _I know where it is if I need more._

L pulled his phone out of his pocket, hoping for something, anything from Light. Unfortunately, he came up short. _Damn. Monday. I’ll see him Monday. I can wait that long, can’t I? Right? Maybe Watari was right. Maybe I should go to bed. It’s not the worst Idea he’s ever had. Although, ridiculous. He knows how my sleep schedule works better than anyone. A few hours every couple of days or so. It’s worked for me so far._ L went back to his hotel and curled into his bed. _This better work, Watari._

The next morning, L woke up with a lighter conscience. _Huh. Who would’ve thought?_ He looked over at his phone on the nightstand, yet again disappointed by what he saw. Or what he didn’t see. _Still nothing? I see you’re not the clingy, desperate type, Light. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but time will tell._ L pushed himself out of bed and walked out into the main room where the smell of breakfast beckoned him. If there was one thing in the world L could never turn down, it was Watari’s cooking. And sure enough, a warm stack of waffles sat on the island in the kitchenette.

“Good morning, L,” Watari chimed, “You’re up early. Or are you up still?”

“Early,” L told him, sitting on one of the barstools. Although, something was on L’s mind. _Maybe I’ll be the clingy one for a change,_ “Watari…”

“Yes?” Watari pulled another waffle off the iron and put it in front of L along with a fork. He wasn’t a monster.

“How far is To-Oh University from here?” L wondered, “Do you know?”

“Not very,” Watari told him, “Maybe a ten minute ride on the bullet train. Why?”

“I need you to call them and set up a late entrance exam,” L ordered.

“Sure,” Watari nodded, “Are you considering taking a few classes yourself?”

“Considering,” L confirmed, more concerned about a different course of study, “With my IQ, I should be fine.”

“And at such a prestigious university?” Watari knew better. L’s transparency was usually not existent. Ever since the other day, the frosted glass he kept on himself was a clear window, “Any particular reason why?”

“Like you said,” L tried to keep his guard up, “It’s a prestigious university. Where else would I go?”

Watari hid a smile that hid even more worry. _I hope you know what you’re doing, L. Please be careful,_ “Alright. I’ll call them right away.”

“Thank you.”

Later that day, Light had gotten up and pulled himself together enough to go to his civics class. Although, as he walked toward the entrance of To-Oh University, he caught a glimpse of a little coffee shop across the street. It made him smile with memories of yesterday filling his head. He felt around in his pockets and happened to have enough to get himself a little something. _Besides, the caffeine can’t kill me._ Light walked across the street and got himself a caramel macchiato. He had grown a taste for them lately. Although, he couldn’t figure out why. Not that he was complaining. They were delightful. However, the one he had from the coffee shop wasn’t quite as good as the one he had at the Note Blue with L. Before he was late, Light ran for his civics class. 

When he sat down, Light opened his notebook. His _incredibly organized_ notebook. Light had a notebook for every semester and kept them catalogued in a borderline obsessive manner. He didn’t get to the top of his class by slacking off. All of his notebooks were organized by class, by year, and by semester. Then, by subject, by topic, by chapter. When he was in high school, he’d make side money by xeroxing his notebooks for anyone who wanted notes better than their own. However, his…clients, for lack of a better word, would only be people who had attempted the notes for themselves already. If Light deemed them a regular slacker (or a general asshole), he’d turn them away.

“Excuse me,” a gentle voice spoke behind Light and a long finger tapped on his shoulder, “Do you think I could borrow your notes? I’m new in the class and I could use the best to help me catch up.”

Light’s heart skipped a beat and he tried to contain his surprise. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw the strange new student in his civics class…That just so happened to sit on his feet in the same manner the top three detectives in the world did. Light kept his voice down, “L? What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m taking a civics class,” L climbed over the seats and took the empty one next to Light., “I thought that would be self-explanatory.”

“Not…” Light held his face in his hands, “That’s not what I meant. What are you doing in _my_ civics class?”

“I took an entrance exam this morning,” L explained, “I tested high enough to get into this particular civics class. Although, that entrance exam was nothing but a formality. Even on my worst day with a million other things on my mind, I could’ve passed it with flying colors. And this is a prestigious, ivy league school? The entrance exam doesn’t show that much.”

“How did you test _that_ high?” Light wondered, “This is an honors class. Not only that, but it’s only meant for seniors.”

“I think you forget,” L smirked a bit, “I’m a genius, too, Light. Now, I wasn’t joking about your notes. Could I borrow them? I have a lot of catching up to do. Not that it’ll take me long.”

“Yeah,” Light slid L his notebook, “Go ahead.”

“You know,” L slid it back, “I can get them later. Bring them with you to my hotel room.”

“I will.” _What the hell is he doing in my civics class? I’m not going to deny him an opportunity at higher education, but if he’s such a genius, what would he want with a degree from the same university I just happen to go to? Will I ever understand you, L? Because I’m starting to think I won’t._

After their civics class, L and Light walked out together toward L’s usual town car, “You know, you’re welcome to ride back with me, Light.”

“Thanks,” Light wasn’t going to turn him down. It’d be much better than walking and it’s not like he had anywhere to go after class.

“Light!” one of the girls from his civics class called out to him.

“Hey,” Light gave her a nod, “What’s up?”

“Are you busy tonight?” she asked, setting L’s blood to a rolling boil, “I have a friend that you have to meet. She’s adorable! And I’ve told her all about you. Tell me you’re not busy.”

“Um…” Light shot a quick glance toward L, remembering his simple request, “Thank you, but I’m busy tonight. Tell your friend I’m sorry I can’t meet her.”

“Aww…” she whined, only grinding in L’s brain more, “That’s too bad. Maybe another time.”

“Sure,” Light brushed her off and sent her away.

“What was that all about?” L wondered, getting into the car.

“Ever since I broke up with my ex-girlfriend,” Light admitted, “The one I told you all about?”

“I’ve heard the horror stories.” _And have no intentions of repeating them._

“Well,” Light explained, “It’s not exactly an uncommon thing for either a girl to come up to me and start flirting or for someone to ask about me for a friend. It’s kind of exhausting, but I know they mean well.”

“How often would you say that happens?” L asked.

“Maybe a few times a week?” Light figured.

L felt a strange combination of anger and excitement in the pit of his stomach, “I noticed you didn’t say yes.”

“You told me to keep my nights free,” Light reminded him, “It wouldn’t surprise me if you put that in my contract.”

“Oh…” _Is that why he thinks that? For work reasons? He is going to be a difficult case,_ “Yes…Your contract. That’s right. We should look at that. It’s not too complicated. No demands too unreasonable. Today’s your first official day of work. Nervous?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “I think I’m on pretty good terms with my boss. Nothing to worry about.”

“You _think_ you’re on good terms with your boss?” L gave him a look, “I know you’re on good terms with your boss. I have no problems with you, Light. I hope I can continue to say that in our time together.”

“I’ll try not to be too difficult,” Light chuckled to himself, unknowingly making L’s heart start racing.

“I won’t have you doing much today,” L told him, “You’ll go through your contract. We’ll get through the official paperwork. Just little things. You think you can handle that?”

“Sounds like an easy day,” Light nodded, “Good enough for me.”

“Well then,” the car stopped in front of L’s hotel, “Shall we?”

“Lead the way.”


	7. Candy and Contracts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. I missed you. Oh, how I’ve missed you. This has rapidly become my favorite story to put out in a week. And *big hug* have I missed you. I’m sure a few of you missed this, too. But because I’m not sure if you’ve been binging it daily to the point where you almost have the whole thing memorized, how about just a quick recap? In case you forgot…
> 
> Where we last left off, L and Light were sitting in their civics class because of course L is now taking Light’s civics class. Why not? He’s allowed to expand his mind, too. Now, it’s time for Light’s first official day of work. Will it go well? Will it tank? We’ll never know…Until we get to the bottom of this week’s chapter. Now, go forth, you cutie pie, you. I’ll see you next week. x

The ride from To-Oh back to the hotel was quiet. Not because of awkwardness or lack of anything to talk about. Light had quite a bit running through his mind. His first day of his first real job (aside from his minor consulting jobs with his dad). And his first real boss sat next to him in his civics class. _There’s no way that wasn’t deliberate. I bet he’s not taking anything else. Just civics. It’s like he won’t be happy unless he’s always up my ass._

When they got to the room, some of the task force was already waiting. Light had seen them all before at least once. Except for one of them, but mostly because he saw that one all the time. Light gave him a nod, “Hi, Dad.”

“Hello, Light,” Soichiro smiled, “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“He does work for me, Mr. Yagami,” L reminded him, “If I’m not mistaken, you were the one who recommended him to me.”

“I understand,” Soichiro sat back down, “But I didn’t think we’d cross paths so soon.”

“Excuse me, gentleman,” L walked toward his bedroom. _What are they doing here so early? I thought I said five o'clock. So much for having a little time alone before the others show up_ , “I have a few things to discuss with my assistant before we go on. I may be a while. Light, come with me.”

“Coming,” Light followed L without question. Although, when he realized where they were going, it raised a red flag in Light’s mind, “Um, L? Would it really be appropriate to discuss my contract here? Something about us talking it over in your bedroom feels kind of sleezy.”

“Trust me,” L settled him, “This bed doesn’t get used often. You have nothing to worry about. I’m limited to my space here. Another month or so and I should have accommodations more suited to your sophisticated tastes.”

“It’s not necessarily that,” Light stumbled over his words, “It’s just…I…”

“That was a joke, Light,” L took a seat on the bed, “Could you close the door please?”

“Sure,” Light shut the door, “I see your sense of humor is going to be something to get used to.”

“It doesn’t come out often,” L admitted, “But that’s always subject to change. By the way, could I ask you one last thing before you’re officially on the books?”

“Depends…”

“My class notes,” L requested, “I wasn’t joking about that. I’d rather not fall any further behind.”

“I’ll make sure to copy them for you,” Light promised, “Do you have a preference to the way they’re formatted?”

“Your handwriting is legible enough,” L told him, “A spiral bound notebook will be just fine. Thank you.”

“No problem,” Light smiled, sending L’s heart into palpitations, “It might take me a day or two to get them all done. I hope that’s ok.”

“That’s fine,” L dropped a thick bound stack of papers in front of Light, “This is your contract.”

“Ok…” Light started thumbing through it, not in the least bit intimidated by it, “Do you mind if I read it first?”

“Not at all,” L insisted, “I’d be surprised if you didn’t. Take all the time you need and read it carefully. If you’d like, I could bring a lawyer up here as well.”

“What?” Light joked, “Do you have one on standby?”

“Yes,” L nodded, pulling a business card out of the nightstand and handing it to Light, “From what I understand, he’s one of the best in the city.”

_Teru Mikami…Why does that sound so familiar?_ Light dwelled on it for another moment or two before nearly losing his lunch in a nearby potted plant. Light gave L back the card, “No. No need to get a lawyer. I don’t need one.”

_That was odd. I’ve seen Light get worked up before, but never like this._ L put the card back into the drawer, “Are you ok? You look like you’re about to throw up.”

“I’m fine,” Light pushed his nauseum down. _That’s where I knew that name from. If it’s the same Teru Mikami, we don’t need him bringing any of this back to her._

“Do you know him?”

_Shit. His curiosity couldn’t leave this alone, could it? As much as I hate the context, I have to admire that curiosity. If we don’t have that voice in our heads asking what if, then we’d never get anywhere,_ “Yeah. I met him twice. Let’s just say that both times we met, it was never on good terms.”

“It’s a rarity anyone ever meets a lawyer on good terms,” L pointed out, “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

“He was my ex-girlfriend’s lawyer,” Light came clean, “He’s the one who drew up the NDAs. And he’s the one who booted me from our apartment.”

_That’s what I thought. I wonder if Mr. Yagami knew about that when he gave me his card,_ “Forgive me, Light. I didn’t’ know you two had a history. Why don’t you start reading your contract, so we can forget this ever happened?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Light opened the novella in front of him to page one and started reading.

_I’m not surprised. I knew he’d manage to work keeping my weekends open into this. The signed will agree to appearing daily at whichever location has been deemed the workplace that day and told in advance where it will be. Hours will include from 10:00AM to 7:00PM on days when studies are not to take place and from 3:00PM to 12:00AM on days when studies will take place. Oh…No, no. I don’t like that._ Light stared into the contract, his eyes squinting a bit. Of course, this brought concern to L, “Is there something wrong, Light?”

“The hours,” Light asked, “They’re kind of long, don’t you think? I understand they’re the same amount of time, but…”

L pulled the contract out of Light’s hands and started making some scribbles on it. _It’s nice to see he’s honest with me. Even for me, those hours are long. As much as I’d like to get something done, I’m not a total machine,_ “There. How about from noon to six on non-class days and from three to seven on class days? Would that work better for you?”

“Much,” Light agreed, “Thank you.”

“That’s what this is about, Light,” L told him, “Most of your contract is set in stone, but don’t ever say I won’t bend to a little wiggle room.”

“Hold on,” Light continued down his contract, “What’s with this part?”

“Which part would that be?” L wondered, already having an inkling. _Please don’t turn this part down._

“It says,” Light read, “Any outings will be limited to the weekends and spontaneous trips, including international travel, are mandatory.”

“Do you have a passport?”

“Yeah.”

“Good,” L chimed, “I don’t stay in one place for very long. You may need to come with me from time to time.”

“Ok,” Light relaxed. _And here I thought he was meaning something else. But that’d be incredibly inappropriate…Right?_

“Anything else concerning you?” L asked.

“No,” Light shook his head, “It seems pretty solid.”

“We can add and subtract from it as I see fit,” L took it back, “And as our relationship changes.”

“You know,” Light chuckled nervously, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to propose already?”

“What?” L’s heart stopped. _We are leaps and bounds away from something like that, if at all._

“That was a joke,” Light settled him, “That was for earlier when you thought I thought you were taking me to bed.”

“Well,” L noticed, “We are both sitting on my bed, so I suppose I did take you to bed. Maybe not in a biblical sense, but I digress. Perhaps I’m not the only one here with a dark sense of humor.”

“Maybe not.”

“Light…” L did his best to keep a level head. However, he struggled. _Not enough to scare him off, but enough to let him know,_ “Can I tell you something?”

“Sure,” Light allowed, noticing L’s sudden change in demeanor, “Is everything ok?”

“Yes,” L assured him, “It’s…You and I could make a good team.”

“That’s what we’re hoping for, right?” Light figured. _Is…Is he…? No. That’s just him being cordial. I think._

“When you were talking about getting vengeance on your ex-girlfriend,” L went on, “It got me thinking. You said that if she saw you out with someone else, that would set a fire inside her like nothing else, right?”

“Right.” _Where the hell is he going with this?_

“I was thinking,” L confessed, “I could be that equally petty person. Imagine the two of us working together on that front. She’d either never want to speak to you again or she’d run straight back into your arms. But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have a little harmless fun in the process.”

“Wait,” Light thought for a moment or two, “Are you saying…us?”

“I think so.”

_I had a feeling he was into me, but I didn’t think he’d be this bold about it. I was kind of hoping it was just an innocent, passing crush. Maybe this really is just him getting me through that mess. Or maybe that’s wishful thinking. No. He did tell me that he couldn’t stand distraction. If I’m distracted, so is he. That’s why he paid my tuition off._ Light calmed himself down, “is that all this would be?”

“Someone else would be paying you all the attention,” L explained, “I’m sure that would be a thorn in her side. You’re not the only one who can be incredibly petty. The only difference is that I’m not too proud to admit it. Besides, when I’m being petty, most don’t realize it until the damage has already been done. That’s how good I am. Could I see your contract please?”

“Sure,” Light looked around for it, but came up short, “Did I already give it back to you?”

“Just checking to see if you were paying attention,” L pulled the contract out from behind him. _It may not be much, but it’s a foot in the door._

“What are yo9u doing?” Light watched as L wrote something at the bottom

“Making a quick amendment.”

“What?” Light teased, “Vengeance?”

“No,” L slid Light’s contract back. Only one word stood out, “Justice. We don’t play vengeance games here. However, the choice to sign the contract or not is still up to you. But know that I can be horribly impatient, so please make your decision as soon as humanly possible.”

Light stared at the document in front of him. _This thing is airtight for someone who said he’s willing for wiggle room. But…As much as I thought this would be a strictly professional situation, I like his idea of justice._ Light hid the petty, vengeful, sadistic joy bubbling in his heart, “Could I borrow a pen?”

“Wait,” L’s heart stopped, “You’re signing it? You understand that once you do, there’s no going back and you work for me, right?”

“It depends,” Light’s smile turned a bit devilish, “Are you going to let me borrow a pen or not?”

_Oh…He does have that bratty potential. You may be quite the project, Light Yagami. I’ve tackled some of the most difficult cases in the world. What’s another challenge?_ L gave Light a pen, “Is this good enough or would you rather a quill and inkwell?”

“This is fine,” Light chuckled to himself, “Tell me you don’t have an actual quill and inkwell somewhere around here.”

“It wouldn’t be difficult to get a hold of one,” L shrugged, “You’d have to wait a few minutes first.”

“I’ll take a pen,” Light assured him, “It’s a lot more practical and you don’t have to wait any longer.”

“Gladly.” _Alright…I can get used to this._

Light signed his name at the bottom of his contract, “There. I’m all yours.”

_Oh, if only, Light…If only…_ L shook off his small bout of feelings and took the contract back, filing it away in the nightstand drawer, “By the way, Light, you didn’t happen to look through the compensation section, did you?”

“I skimmed it,” Light nodded, “Why?”

“No reason,” L couldn’t help but smile. _Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. I’m sure you’ll understand it soon enough,_ “Let’s just say you’re being paid well. Are you ready for your first real day of work?”

“Yep,” Light straightened up, “What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to fill your pockets,” L ordered.

“Fill my…?” Light wasn’t quite sure where he was going with this, “What?”

“There’s a store in Shibuya,” L wrote down an address, “I need you to go there for me.”

“Ok,” Light looked over the address. _This is in Shibuya? I’ve lived here all my life and I have no clue where the hell this is._

“Go to that store with…” L pulled a black card out of his wallet and gave it to Light, “This card. Tell them you’re there for Mr. Ryuzaki. They’ll take care of the rest.”

“Ok,” Light got up from the bed, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Thank you,” L sent him off. _Should I tell him the limit on that black card? Because if you wanted to get yourself something while you’re there, Light, I wouldn’t say no. Or if something else catches your eye._

Light, with L’s black card in his pocket, set off for Shibuya and wherever L had sent him. But still Light pressed on, scouring the streets for the address L had written down. Although, when he finally found what he was looking for, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Mostly because the wall to wall pastels and neon lights in his face were almost too much to handle. _A candy store? Really? There’s no way this is the place. Then again, I wouldn’t say L is the most conventional either. It has to be a front for something. Information from an unsuspecting mole. Maybe someone’s running a bigger business out the back. Yeah. This is totally code._

“Hi!” a young girl in a bright blue café uniform stood at the front counter, “Can I help you find something?”

“I’m…” Light kept his voice down, “I’m here to pick up an order for Mr. Ryuzaki.”

“Mr. Ryuzaki is one of our best customers!” she beamed, “Hold on. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you.” _She must be getting the manager or something. There’s no way I’m here for candy._

“Here you are, sir,” the girl came back with two white, medium sized boxes and a smaller white box on top of them, “Two boxes of assorted candy and a dozen earl gray macarons.”

“Thank you,” Light gave the girl L’s black card and headed back to the hotel. _The information must be written down and hidden in the boxes…Right? Because there’s no way in hell he just sent me to get candy._ Light couldn’t help but ask, “Excuse me…”

“Yes, sir?”

“There isn’t…” Light wondered, “There isn’t some sort of…Illegal activity going on around here…Is there?”

“No,” she shook her head, “Not that I know of anyway. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.” Light took the train back to the hotel, absolutely fuming. _Un…fucking…believable. When I took this job, I thought that I’d actually be helping with investigations. That’s what I’ve always done when I’ve worked with the task force. But I just went to a candy store in Shibuya I had never heard of for fucking candy!_

“Thank you, Light,” L chimed, watching the boxes come in, “I’m assuming things went well.”

“Did you really just send me for _candy_?” Light snapped a bit, doing his best to hold in the true, fiery anger deep in his heart.

“I have blood sugar problems,” L took his order off Light’s hands and pulled a macaron out of the box, happily shoving it in his mouth, “Just as delightful as I remember them. Would you like one?”

“Are you serious?” Light glared.

“I’m sorry that it’s not as exciting as you thought it’d be, Light,” L stood his ground, the box still open, “Last chance.”

“Fine,” Light started to calm himself down and took a light blue macaron from the box. One little bite and he was ok again. _Earthy…But kind of tart, too,_ “These are really good.”

“Best in the city,” L smiled, “And they remind me of home. Thank you, Light. Really and truly. I do appreciate it. Now, if you could please copy your notes for me. There are blank notebooks in the drawer next to the fridge in the kitchen.”

“Got it.” Light left L to his work while he got down to his own. _I don’t know why I was complaining. I guess I expected something different. But this may be the easiest job in the world._

L watched Light leave the room, enjoying the view with a smirk on his face. _I love fine print._


	8. Family Dinners and Good Night Texts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Enjoy this lovable little scrap of fluff (also we just crossed 1K views. Isn’t that neat?).

Light finished his last page of civics notes with a great sense of accomplishment. _There. And here I thought this would take longer._ Every page was neatly organized, highlighted, and divided. Light couldn’t have been prouder of himself. _Should I just keep this and give L my notebook?_ Light opted against it and closed the binder. _Now, if I were L, where would I be? Last time I saw him, he was talking a case over with the task force._ However, when Light found him again, L sat by himself. His eyes glued to CCTV footage.

“Hey…L?” Light approached him gently, doing his best to not scare him.

“Yes, Light?” L turned off the monitors, “Did you need something?”

“I finished your civics notes,” Light gave him his binder, “I’m going to head home. Do you need anything before I leave?”

“No,” L thumbed through Light’s handiwork. _This is perfect,_ “Thank you. Good work today, Light. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

L watched Light walk out the door, admiring the view. _This is going to be an interesting partnership, isn’t it?_ L took a closer look at his civics notes. _These really are nicely done. Light has some beautiful handwriting. Maybe I’ll give him a case file tomorrow and see what he does with that._ L threw his remote onto the empty chair across from him. _Hopefully, he’ll be able to provide some insight, too. We’re at a standstill in this case. What’s the point of watching the monitors anymore?_

“L,” Watari broke through L’s train of thought.

“Hmm?” L balled himself up in his chair, drowning himself in the self-loathing that came along with him being bored.

“Is something the matter?” Watari moved the remote and sat down with him.

“Investigation isn’t going anywhere,” L groaned, “And Light just left. I’m a little down.”

“What did Light have to say about his contract?” Watari asked, getting L out of his head, “Did you propose your arrangement yet?”

“In incredibly basic terms, yes,” L told him, “But I haven’t started making too many big demands with him. Not yet. We’ll see what the week’s end brings.”

_I just hope he doesn’t run off on me._

When Light got home, he could hardly keep his eyes open. His brain was fried and all he wanted to do was go up to his room. He made sure to stay quiet, so no one knew he was home. It’d be better that way. The thought of peace and quiet danced around his head, bringing a smile to his face. He tiptoed through the hallway and opened his bedroom door. _Home sweet home._ Light casually tossed his jacket onto his desk chair.Then, he threw himself on his bed and shut his eyes for a brief moment. _When I said I’d take the job, I didn’t think it’d be this exhausting. I ran all over town today and for what? So L’s sugar high could keep going? If every day is that easy, I’ll take it. It’d be nice if I got let in on the investigation that brought L to Japan in the first place._

“Hey, Light,” Sayu peeked in his bedroom, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“That was by design,” Light admitted, “Hi, Sayu.”

“You look like you’ve seen better days,” she sat at his desk, “How was your first day at work?”

“It wasn’t bad,” he reported, flashbacks of the cute candy store in Shibuya running through his head, “It wasn’t what I expected, but it wasn’t bad.”

“That’s good to hear,” Sayu felt something strange on her back. When she pulled out Light’s jacket, she dug in his now bulging pocket, “Hey, Light?”

“What?”

“Since when do you have a pocket full of lollipops?” she helped herself to a blue one, “And good ones at that.”

“My boss has blood sugar problems,” Light explained, “If it gets too low, I’m assuming he turns incredibly unpleasant. I figured it’d be good to have some on hand just in case.”

“That’s sweet of you…”

“Joke intended?” Light rolled his eyes.

“No,” Sayu thought it over, giggling to herself, “But it was a good one on my part. Good for me!”

“Whatever makes you happy, Sayu.”

“Where did you get these?” she wondered, “They’re better than the ones at the convenience store.”

“There’s a shop in Shibuya,” he held back a smile, “My boss had me go there for him today. I picked up a handful of them along with his usual order.”

“You know,” Sayu sighed out, “Your new boss is kind of weird.”

“You don’t even know the half of it,” Light chuckled to himself, “Yeah, he’s kind of weird, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Because you’re kind of weird, too?” she teased.

“No,” Light shook his head. _This is my sister. I share blood with her._

“So?” Sayu asked, “Are you going to see him again tomorrow?”

“I do work for him, Sayu,” Light reminded her, “Yes. I’m going to see him again tomorrow. Would you quit making it sound like it’s a date every time I bring it up?”

“Fine,” she backed off, “I know it’s not a date. I’ll be quiet.”

“Alright…”

“Light, Sayu!” Sachiko called from downstairs, “Dinner’s ready!”

“Coming!” Sayu got up from Light’s desk, throwing her lollipop stick in the trash can. Light followed behind her and sat down at the kitchen table. _Maybe once I eat something, I’ll feel better. At least I hope so._ Light gave serious consideration to a big cup of coffee, but given that he wanted to sleep that night, he shook the thought out of his head. 

“I didn’t hear you come in, Light,” Sachiko handed him a plate, “How long have you been home?”

“Not very,” Light lied through his teeth. He had been home for at least an hour without saying much to anyone except Sayu, but that was because she found him first, “I had a long day today, so I thought I’d rest for a little while.”

“How was your first day of work?” she asked.

“Yes, Light,” Soichiro kicked his shoes off at the door, “How was your first day?”

“Hi, Dad!” Sayu chimed.

“Welcome home, dear,” Sachiko sat at the table.

“It was pretty good,” Light told him, “I mean, I don’t know what I expected, but I don’t think I could’ve asked for an easier first day.”

“When you and L went off,” Soichiro wondered, sitting across from his son, “Where did you go?”

“One of the bedrooms,” Light remembered, “And before Sayu has a nosebleed, it wasn’t anything sketchy. We were just talking over my contract. Nothing too exciting.”

“I wasn’t going to have a nosebleed!” Sayu jumped on the defensive.

“While you were looking at your contract,” Soichiro went on, “Did he offer you legal representation?”

“Yeah,” Light shuddered, remembering the name on the business card. _And if I have my way, I’ll never see Teru Mikami ever again. I just hope he doesn’t become L’s regular lawyer, too,_ “If it’s alright with you, I’d rather not talk about his legal representative offer.”

“Oh?” Soichiro gave him a look, “Why? Did you know the name?”

“I knew the name,” Light confirmed, “I’d just rather not get tangled up with a lawyer.”

“That’s understandable,” Soichiro let it go, noticing the pain in his son’s eyes. _Huh…I wonder what that was all about,_ “Then, did you read it over carefully?”

“Yep,” Light took a long sip from his water, “I’m officially on the books. It wasn’t too difficult to figure out. As for the job itself, I should be able to handle it. Who knows? Maybe it’ll even be fun.”

“That’s the spirit, Light,” Soichiro praised, “He’s not too much?”

“I’ll get used to it,” Light brushed him off, “I mean, it’s not exactly what I imagined the job would be. It’s definitely nothing like what I usually do when I work with the police, but it’s not the worst.”

“That’s good to hear,” Soichiro smiled. _I knew you’d be able to do it, Light. Make me proud, son._

_I wonder if Dad knows anything about L paying off my university tuition. I still can’t wrap my head around it,_ “But apparently, we’ll be spending a lot more time together than I thought.”

“Oh?” Soichiro wondered, “What do you mean?”

“I have my civics class with him now,” Light confessed, “He sits behind me.”

“He’s taking a civics class?” Sachiko asked, “He’s young enough to be in school still?”

“Apparently,” Light shrugged, “That’s all he had me doing today. I copied my notes for him, so he doesn’t fall any farther behind than he already is.”

“I should have you do my notes, too, Light,” Sayu teased.

“I already help you with your homework,” Light rolled his eyes, “Is that not enough for you?”

“Nope!”

“Sayu,” Soichiro hushed her, “Your brother worked hard to get the grades he did in school. We expect you to do the same.”

“We expect you to do your best,” Sachiko added.

“I try.” _But we all know Light didn’t have to try hard. He’s a freaking genius._

“He’s not working you too hard, though,” Sachiko worried, “Is he, Light?”

“No,” Light assured her, “All I had to do today was run a couple errands for him and copy my notes. Nothing too exciting. But it did take more out of me than I thought it would. If it’s ok, I think I’ll go back to my room.”

“Of course,” Soichiro allowed, “Go ahead.”

“Thank you.” Light got up from the table and headed back to his bedroom. _I do have the midterm coming up. Maybe I should study. No. It’s not like I’ve really had to try hard at my studies. Besides, it’s been a long enough day. I don’t think I could stuff any more into my head if I wanted to. I’ve already gone over my notes today. I don’t need to do it again. It’s my civics class._ Light left his studies alone for the night and stared up blankly at the ceiling, finding his calm.

Beep!

Only to sit up at the sound of his phone’s notification alert. _Who the hell…?_ When he grabbed his phone, Light glanced over the screen in disbelief. _L? What would he be texting me for?_ Light opened the message, still not sure what kind of angle L could be working. _I’ve been off the clock for a couple hours. What could he possibly want?_

_Good night, Light._

_See you tomorrow. :)_

_-L_

_Really? That’s it?_ A little smile graced Light’s face. _This guy is a total enigma. But maybe he’s not that bad. He’s got his moments. Making me wait an eternity for my interview. Making me late for my civics class because he decided to sleep in that morning. But if what I’ve heard holds any water, L could use all the sleep he can get. Then, there’s his weird sugar addiction. He sent me on a wild goose chase through Shibuya just so he could have his macarons and his two big ass boxes of candy. But I suppose that’s what an assistant is for. All the little shit he doesn’t want to do himself. That’s what he’s got me for. And this? This is just an exchange of pleasantries._ Light opened up a new text box.

_Good night, L._

_Sleep well. :)_

_-Light_

On the other end of the phone, L couldn’t keep a smile off his face if he wanted to. He laid in his bed, wrapped in his overly plush blankets with his eyes still open. Watari begged him to go to bed half an hour ago and just to stop his insistence, L let Watari tuck him in. However, sleep still eluded him. And what better way to set his mind at ease than to see what Light was up to? _The fact that you even responded made my night, Light. Thank you. Who knows? I might actually get some sleep tonight._ L shut his eyes and did his best to fall asleep.


	9. Getting Lunch and Getting Over It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sits back with a shit eating grin on my face* Hello, lovelies…Oh, today’s going to be an interesting chapter. I hope you’re prepared for it. And make sure you have a snack and a drink with you. It’s kind of a long one. x

Light woke up the next morning like any other day. He did a quick check of his schedule. Since he didn’t have class, Light had time to kill before work. _It’s a beautiful day. It’d be a shame to waste it inside. I have a couple hours to spare. What to do, what to do._ Light checked his wallet and found a few hundred yen in cash. _Yes! That’s always good to see. It’s going to be a good day._ Light knew where to go. He slipped his shoes on and headed out.

Down the street, a quiet, cozy coffee shop hid on the corner. Not many frequented this place, but Light didn’t care. It was better than going to a chain where it was wall to wall bodies and noise. Besides, Light needed somewhere quiet. Somewhere he could sort out his thoughts. _I hope work is as easy today as it was yesterday. Something in that text from last night, though…No. He’s not trying to put moves one me. Right? I’m just overreacting. She did say I had a bad habit of doing that. No. Let’s just L being nice. Dad said he was eccentric. Maybe this is one of those eccentricities._ When Light got to the bottom of his cup, he noticed a little cash left over. _I suppose it won’t kill me to be nice back._

Light showed up to L’s hotel room with a cup in his hand. He wasn’t sure what to order for someone like L, so he put himself in the shoes of the unattended child at the birthday party and hoped for the best. Light knocked on the door. L hadn’t given him a key quite yet. Only one person had L’s trust enough to have custody of his spare room key. And that was the man on the other side of the door.

“Hello, Light,” Watari greeted him with a smile on his face.

“Hello, Watari,” Light reciprocated, taking a quick look around, “Did L take off somewhere?”

Little did Light know, L had yet to wake up for the day. Even after the text from last night, L still had difficulty falling asleep. However, as the sound of Light’s voice drifted into his bedroom, L’s eyes opened up. He rolled over and looked at the clock chiming noon. _Let no one say Light Yagami is never punctual. Glad one of us is. If I ever need a proxy, I know who to call._ As much as he didn’t want to, L pushed himself out of bed.

“Please keep your voice down,” Watari requested, “L is still asleep.”

“No, he’s not,” l shuffled his feet across the floor with a fist in his eye. He tripped a couple times, but he caught himself on the kitchen island. Then, his eyes fell on the cup on the counter. _Coffee is coffee at this point._

Light’s heart skipped a beat or two. He froze. _What the hell was that all about?_ As quickly as it came on, Light shook it off, “Good mor…”

“Coffee…” L’s eyes grew wide with wonder and excitement, “Where did this come from?”

“I brought it for you,” Light took his due credit, “I had a little extra time this morning. We’ll call that me paying you back for the one you got me the other day.”

“What?” L wasn’t sure how to feel. Never did he ever have someone…pay him back before. _Does he not understand how this works? I’m sure I made it perfectly clear. Not to mention, I thought he had experience with this kind of arrangement before._ L felt a strange murmur in his chest. _What the hell was that all about?_

“Yeah,” Light elaborated, “I wasn’t sure what to get for you, so I had to guess. I figured anything that could induce a severe diabetic coma would do.”

“Thank you, Light,” L melted inside, “That was very kind of you. Excuse me. I need a minute alone.”

“Is everything ok?” Light asked.

“Fine, fine,” L brushed him off, closing the bedroom door behind him. _What…The hell…Was that? I don’t see Light as the type to have ulterior motives this early in the game. Was this really just because he was thinking about me? I don’t get you, Light Yagami. You are an entirely foreign creature to me. All the others before you were perfect. Just the right amount of greedy and I never asked them for anything in return. Except for…Well…We’ll get to that soon enough._

L caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, disgusted with what he saw looking back at him. _Is this what we’ve become? One cup of coffee from a pretty face and you’re smitten? I remember the days when I used to make them jump through hoops just to get within five feet of me. Light…Light doesn’t jump through the hoops. He’s smart enough to walk around them to get to the other side. Just one hoop. Why can’t he just jump through one little hoop? Why do I let him walk around them?_

“L?” Watari knocked on the door, “Could I come in?”

“Yes,” L allowed, his shameful face buried in the pillows, “What is it, Watari?”

“You had me worried,” Watari walked in, closing the door behind him, and sat on the corner of the bed, “Is everything alright?”

“I’m not sure,” L mumbled, “My chest feels tight.”

“You’re working yourself up again,” Watari settled him, “You hardly know him.”

“Maybe I should remedy that,” L decided, “Then, I can at least have a reason for a fit like this.”

“You do know,” Watari reminded him, “the task force is coming by later.”

“What time?”

“Two o'clock.”

“That’s fine by me,” L hopped back out of bed and pulled himself together. Then, he regained the composure that allowed him back in the living room, “Light?”

“Yeah?” Light perked up. _I hope everything was ok._

“Come on,” L grabbed him by the wrist and dragged Light behind him, “Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Light stumbled, trying to catch up, “Where are we going?”

“I’m not sure,” L thought it over, “You know Tokyo better than I do. Where’s that one place with the river running through it and there’s sakura trees all over the place?”

Light dug back in his brain, “Are you thinking of Nakameguro?”

“That’s where.”

L and Light took L’s limo to the bullet train and rode it to the Nakameguro stop. Light still couldn’t wrap his brain around what he signed up for. _Why Nakameguro? Of all places we could go on impulse, why the hell would he pick Nakameguro? I mean, it’s definitely scenic. That’s for sure. I’m not judging. But what would he need in Nakameguro?_ Light shook the thought out of his head and followed L off the train. 

“You know, L,” Light pointed out, “It’s strange you’d pick somewhere like Nakameguro. Is there something going on out here?”

“I don’t think so,” L kept walking, “A change of scenery never hurt anyone, Light. Is there something wrong with being here?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “It’s not that. It’s just…Usually, when someone takes somebody to Nakameguro, it’s on a romantic date.”

“Why’s that?” L wondered.

“Because,” Light explained, “If you ask me, it’s one of the more beautiful places in Japan, if you don’t want to venture too far out of the city. And at night…It’s really something special at night. Especially in the spring just after the sakura petals fall into the river. It’s…magical.”

“I’m assuming you’ve taken a date or two here yourself,” L jabbed.

“Not in the way you’d think,” Light clarified, his breakfast wanting to escape the back of his throat, “This place used to serve as the backdrop for a lot of my ex-girlfriend’s Instagram posts. When we first started dating, I had to learn how to take a good picture quickly. And she made sure I knew her angles. I didn’t think I’d ever take a photography class, but whatever she wanted in those days, she got it.”

“Is there anywhere she didn’t take you?” L tried his hardest not to roll his eyes at Light’s story.

“Press events,” Light remembered, “Her professional photoshoots…Whenever she’d be on set. Anything work related for her. There were some places she didn’t take me with her.”

“Light,” L bit the inside of his cheek, calming himself down, “I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to be completely honest with me. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “Of course. What is it?”

“You’re not over her, are you?”

L’s words caught Light off guard. Like walking into a knife fight and his opponent brought a nuclear missile. Light didn’t want to think of her, yet reminders of her waited around every corner. Light got quiet, “You wanted an honest answer, right?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know,” Light confessed, “We were together for three years. We’ve been apart for the last few months. It’s not like it was a relationship I can get over in a day.”

“You left her, right?” L found a bench near the river and sat down.

“That didn’t mean it would hurt any less,” Light went on, “It’s like…I don’t know. It’s like being stabbed and pulling the knife out.”

“You really shouldn’t pull knives out of stab wounds, Light,” L pointed out, “It’ll only make them worse and there’s a higher chance of you bleeding out.”

“Not the point,” Light held his face in his hands.

“Or maybe it is,” L elaborated, “I don’t have the world’s greatest grasp on relationships. I’ll be the first one to admit that. But you left her, Light. And for good reasons, from what I understand.”

“Well,” Light didn’t like being under a microscope like this. So, the only logical thing to do was turn the tables, “What about your exes? I’m sure you could tell some horror stories, too.”

“My exes?” L thought it over, “Not really. We parted ways amicably. I made sure that they were ok before we were completely separated. Occasionally, I’ll keep tabs on them. Last I heard anything, one of them is in a new, happy relationship. The other is in school and therapy three times a week. Before you ask, no. He’s not in therapy because of me.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Light assured. _Is this guy a mind reader?_

“But for the most part,” L shrugged, “No. I don’t have much for horror stories with my exes. Feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I think you just need to get back on the horse, so to speak.”

“Really?” Light was skeptical, “You really think it’s that easy?”

“She didn’t want a boyfriend, Light,” L jumped on the defensive, “She wanted an accessory she could have sex with at the end of the day. And again, if you were asking me, you dwell far too much on her. Especially when we both know damn well you deserve better.”

“Do I?” Light held his ground. _Why am I so quick to defend her? I mean, for the most part, things were kind of one-sided with us. L is right. She did just want an accessory. But I let her treat me like shit for so long. Do I really deserve better?_

“Mother of God,” L rolled his eyes so hard that he saw what his brain looked like, “I see I’m going to have to spell this out for you.”

Without another word between them, Light’s face ended up between L’s hands as L pulled him in for a deep, spellbinding kiss. To say it stunned Light would be an incredible understatement. _What is he doing? What am I doing? Why is he kissing me? I mean, I had a feeling that he might be into me, but why is he kissing me now? And why am I not pulling away? Push him off you, Light! Lecture him on how wildly inappropriate this is! I know it’s what I should do, but…Why do I not want to? Why does this feel wrong, but…also incredibly right?_

L pulled away from Light and regained his composure, “There. See how easy that was?”

Light blinked the stars out of his eyes, trying to wrap his head around what just happened. _Are we really going to be that cliché? The boss and the assistant hooking up behind closed doors? No. That was a one time thing. I think. Maybe._ But then, Light got to thinking even harder. _Wait…In my contract, he said to keep my weekends free. To keep myself available for spontaneous international travel. Was he planning this from the beginning? Could it have been with anyone who walked in for that interview or was I targeted specifically?_ Things were quiet between them for another few minutes. 

That quiet made L nervous. _Did I screw up? Say something, Light. Anything. Tell me you hate me. Tell me you love me. Tell me you never want to see my face again. Tell me you want to throw me in the river. Just say something. You can’t tell me that wasn’t long overdue. You needed something like that to get your head back in the game. What better than something to shock you out of your head for a second? And who better with than me? Just…Say something._

Light finally broke the silence, “You know…That’s the first kiss I’ve had since the breakup.”

“That’s believable.” _And he goes back to her. Who was this creature that had such a hold on you, Light?_ But L let it go, “Come on. Let’s go get lunch.”

“Ok,” Light didn’t want to push him away. He didn’t want to hit him or call him disgusting for coming onto him or anything like that. He wasn’t exactly looking to hold L’s hand, but he didn’t want him to go away either. The two of them took a walk down the river in search of somewhere to eat.

On the way, something shiny caught Light’s eye. And Light’s sudden reaction caught L’s. Light started gravitating toward a jewelry shop window and the watches shining in the sunlight. _I remember getting shit like this all the time when we were still together. It’s a shame to leave it there, but shallow pockets don’t allow for that. Oh, well. Doesn’t hurt to window_ _shop._ Light shook off the fleeting thought and moved on. However, his fleeting thought couldn’t go unnoticed.

“What were you looking at?” L wondered, peeking over his shoulder.

“Nothing,” Light brushed him off, “The watches in the window were pretty.”

“They are beautiful,” L agreed with an idea hatching in his mind, “You know, Light. Any one of those would look good on you.”

“I’m sure it would,” Light nodded, “But they’re brutally expensive. I don’t need that over my head.”

“Hold on,” L started walking toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Light started to sweat.

“Nowhere,” L kept going, “You stay here. I’ll be right back.”

“L!”

As Light called after L, L continued to ignore him and slipped inside the jewelry shop. _Hmm…Silver or gold…? Gold. Definitely gold,_ “Excuse me?”

“Yes, sir,” the man behind the counter joined him, “Can I help you?”

“How much for the watches in the window?” L asked.

“They’re eight million each.”

_Light wasn’t joking. Those are brutally expensive. But…_ L couldn’t help himself, “I’ll take one in gold.”

“Are you sure?” the man looked L over with slight disgust.

“Yes,” L slapped his black card down on the counter, “And in nice wrapping.”

“I’m going to need to see ID with that,” the man demanded.

_Does he not think I’m good for it? Unbelievable,_ “I don’t see why that’s necessary.”

“It’s store policy, sir.”

_Lie._ L took his ID out and put it next to his black card, “Is that good enough or should I give you a blood sample, too?”

“That’s plenty,” the man assured him, grumbling under his breath, “Gesu yaro…”

“Excuse me?” L perked up. 

“Nothing, sir,” the man brushed him off, “A fly managed to get in here.”

“That’s too bad,” L took his black card and his ID off the counter, “Because I’m sure whoever’s working the counter at the shop down the street wouldn’t call me an asshole to begin with, let alone lie about it.”

“No!” the man tried to stop him, “Wait…What if I give you a discount?”

“How big of a discount?” L wondered. _Let’s play a game of how important is your job to you…_

“Twenty percent…”

“Fifty percent,” L bargained.

“Forty percent,” the man begged, “That’s as far as I can go.”

“Fine,” L agreed. _Never say I can’t drive a hard bargain_ _._ He handed his credit card over and the man wrapped up one of the watches from the window. All while Light watched outside. The man gave L the nicely wrapped box, “Thank you.”

“Thank you, sir,” the man fought every urge in his body that said to drill his fist into L’s jaw, “Have a pleasant day.”

L walked out with the bag on his finger and a sense of satisfaction in his heart. _That was a lot less tedious than I thought it’d be._ Although, Light couldn’t help but worry, “What did you just do?”

“Here,” L handed Light the box and tossed the bag in a nearby trash can.

“What?” Light stared at the box that burned like hot rocks in his hands.

“I did get that for you,” L pointed out, “All I’m asking for is a thank you and for us to move on with our day.”

“L…” Light gasped, “No…This is too much. You didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” L shut him up, “And we’ll call this me paying you back for coffee this morning.”

“That was for a three-hundred-yen cup of coffee,” Light’s eyes nearly came out of his skull, “Not a multimillion-yen watch.”

“If it makes you feel better,” L settled him, “I didn’t pay full price for it. Besides, that coffee gets an upcharge, too.”

“Wait…” Light gave him a look, “What do you mean?”

“I had to,” L shrugged, hiding a smile on his face, “That kiss wasn’t half bad.”

“L…” Light turned bright red, “I…I can’t…”

“Shh,” L put a finger over Light’s lips, setting Light at ease a bit, “Yes, you can. I don’t want to hear any more about it. It’s not your place to tell me where I decide to spend my money. You, Light, are a well-worth it investment. Like I said, all I’m looking for is a thank you.”

“Thank you,” Light smiled a little.

“Now,” L asked him, “Is lunch going to be too much for you or is that ok?”

“Yeah. Lunch is fine.”

“Good.”


	10. One Night Stands and Law Enforcement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *still reeling from last week*
> 
> So...Hi...How about that weather...? And that little bit of smoochie, smoochie action last week? Are we doing ok still or are we needing a little more of that? I'm sure you thirsty bitches are looking for more of that, but in due time, my babies. In due time. We need some substance here. You can't just expect to keep eating ice cream and have a functioning digestive system. And don't you try and throw L into this. That boy is a medical anomaly. So, how about a new chapter? Yeah? Will that do for you? x

Nakameguro had no shortage of cute cafes. Some were more traditional. Some were amazingly abstract. However, Light assumed that if the candy shop’s bright colors and patterns were too much for L to handle, somewhere quiet and secluded would be best. Although, his mind was still reeling with what just happened. _Of all the strange things L has done since we put…The pictures at the interview, joining my civics class, paying off my tuition…Kissing me out of nowhere definitely takes the cake._ Things were quiet at their rooftop table.

If there was one thing in this world L simultaneously loved and loathed, it was quiet. _Was I totally out of line? I wouldn’t say so. Could it have been handled better? Probably,_ “Light?”

“Hmm?” Light snapped out of his head, “Did you need something?”

“No,” L shook his head, “You just looked like you had something on your mind. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” Light squeaked, “I’m fine.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Depends.” _That’s never a good thing to come out of his mouth._

“Was that the first time you’ve ever kissed a man?” L asked. _No sense in beating around the bush._

“Um…” Light turned bright red and his appetite went out the window, “No.”

“Really?” L perked up, “You’ve had a boyfriend?”

“I wouldn’t call him that,” Light started to relax. Just a little.

“Tell me about it,” L insisted, “This is a safe space. I won’t judge too harshly.”

“It was more like a one night stand,” Light explained, “I don’t really count him in the grand scheme of things.”

“So,” L assumed, “He was just a quick and dirty kind of thing?”

“More like a rebound,” Light shuddered at memories long passed.

“What was he like?”

“No,” Light put his foot down, “We are not going down that road.”

“Light,” L sighed out. _I see he’s going to be a challenge. I’ve handled worse,_ “It’s alright. Right now, you and I are nothing more than two friends comparing notes.”

“But,” Light went on, twiddling his thumbs under the table, “See…When this happened, it was after my ex and I split. The guy knew her and hated her with a passion.”

“What did he have against her?” L took a long sip from his milkshake.

“He was jealous of her,” Light pointed out, “He knew she treated me like garbage. He hated that. And once she and I broke up, he hated her more for putting me through what she put me through. I wasn’t exactly fond of her at the time either. But we had a night and that was it.”

“Do you at least remember his name?” L wondered, “Or was it really just a one and done situation?”

“I’m not that trashy,” Light jumped on the defensive, “I do remember his name.”

“What was it?”

_Damn his insatiable lust for knowledge_ _._ Light bit the inside of his cheek, “Teru…”

“Mikami?” L gasped, “Mikami was your one night stand?”

“Don’t sound too excited,” Light laughed to himself, easing his tension, “It’s like I said. He was her lawyer. She drove him nuts. But when we went through the breakup, he kind of got attached to me…Like…Unhealthily attached to me. He started following me around. He started popping up in the most coincidental places. I figured if I slept with him, he’d leave me alone. So I did. We had our one night and then, we walked away.”

“Interesting…” _So he’s not above it…We’ll see how he is when the time comes. If the time comes._

“Can we leave it there for now?” Light b egged, “I’d rather not think about it anymore.”

“Fine,” L dropped it, shifting in his seat, “You know, Light, we could just…blow off the rest of the afternoon. No one would have to know. I don’t know about you, but if you wanted to not go back to the hotel quite yet…That would be ok.”

“Actually,” Light thought it over for a moment or two, “That does sound kind of nice.”

“Where should we go?” L asked, finishing off his milkshake.

“I don’t know,” Light shrugged, “I go where you go.”

L felt his heart jump out of his chest. However, his excitement was short lived when his phone rang. _Ugh. Why now? I just want nice things,_ “Do you mind if I get this?”

  
“No,” Light allowed, “Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” L answered his phone, “Yes?”

“Where are you?” Watari asked on the other end.

“Just finishing lunch in Nakameguro,” L reported, “Why?”

“You need to get back,” Watari demanded, “The task force has been here for the last half hour.”

“I’m busy, Watari,” L kept his voice down, “Just stall them.”

“They’re getting restless…”

“Fine,” L groaned, “We’ll be there soon. Say, twenty minutes?”

“Hurry.”

Click.

“Is everything ok?” Light worried, noticing the sheer exasperation on L’s face.

“Our afternoon plans have been destroyed,” L pouted, “We need to get back to the hotel, so I can deal with the task force. Heaven forbid one of them blows their nose without me there.”

“Plans for another day then,” Light chimed, getting up from the table.

“I envy your optimism,” L admitted, “Hey, do you want cake? I want some cake.”

  
“I thought you said we needed to get back,” Light wondered, “Do we really have time to get cake?”

“They’ve waited this long,” L brushed them off, “Let’s go get cake.”

“L…”

“Or pie…” L thought it over, “Maybe pie.”

“L…”

“No,” L decided, “Cake. I want cake. I need something sweet.”

“Hold on,” Light dug in his pocket on their way out, “Here.”

“What…?” L let out a little gasp, taking the lollipop.

“When you said you had blood sugar problems,” Light told him, “I figured it’d be a good idea to keep something on hand. You were bound to need one eventually.”

“Thank you, Light…” L’s heart started to swell. _This really is the beginning of something wonderful, isn’t it? We’re hardly into his second day and he’s already this considerate? He’s sucking up for something. He has to be. But for what? I know I haven’t gotten him to the point where he wants for nothing, but even now, he should now that all he has to do is ask,_ “Maybe I could send you for cake instead. As long as I have this to hold me over.”

“I can do that,” Light nodded, “Is there anywhere specific you want me to get it from?”

“Use your discretion.”

“Strawberry shortcake?” Light assumed, “Or did you want something else?”

“Strawberry shortcake is fine.” _Can I keep you?_

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Light sent L off on the train to Omotesando while he hopped one to Aoyama. _It may not be the luxury designer cakes Omotesando can offer, but he just wants some cake. He won’t care. I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand it, but I don’t have to._

Meanwhile, L took his train back to the car waiting for him at the Omotesando station. _There’s no way they’re going to keep their questions to themselves._ As much as L was a steel trap for most things, especially regarding his personal life, he wanted to scream it at the top of his lungs. He has Light Yagami comfortably (although, comfort level was still up for debate on the other end) in is pocket. Keeping it a secret from the task force would be simple. Because the task force hasn’t been around long enough to know his tells.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” L walked into his room, “Forgive my tardiness. Something came up last minute.”

“Where have you been, Ryuzaki?” Mogi asked, “You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I was busy,” L stayed cryptic, “Then, I got lunch and cleared my head a little. Even though you seem to think me a machine, even I need a break once in a while.”

_Even though now, it’s cloudier than ever…I just hope I didn’t do anything to screw this up_ _._ Soichiro brought L back to earth, “What matters now is that you’re back and we can proceed with the investigation.”

“Yes,” L sighed out, “What do you have?”

“We’ve been doing some monitoring of…”

The chief started to trail off in L’s mind. It began to hopelessly wander with visions of what L did with his son flashing in his brain. _I wonder what a real date with Light would be like. Not just us getting lunch like we did today. We couldn’t go anywhere overly fancy. That would make his skin crawl. Not to mention mine. I may have expensive tastes, but that doesn’t mean I want to immerse myself in it. Maybe we could go back to Nakameguro. I can see why it’s so romantic. It wouldn’t be totally out of the question to ask now…right? Maybe I’ll ask him when he comes back. No…Not in front of his father. Something about that doesn’t sit right with me. Still…I can’t help but wonder…_

“Ryuzaki…” Soichiro shot him a look, “Ryuzaki?”

“Hmm?” L rejoined the conversation.

“What should we do?” Matsuda asked with a certain enthusiasm that annoyed L to no end.

“I…” _I haven’t been listening for the last ten minutes. How the hell do they expect me to give an answer?_

“The best thing to do would be to find the commonality among the suspects,” Light came in with a pink box in his hand. He handed it off to L, “Wouldn’t you think?”

“Yes…” L relaxed. _You couldn’t have had better timing, Light. You saved my ass without even realizing it,_ “Thank you, Light.”

“No problem,” Light smiled sweetly, sending L into heart palpitations, “Do you need me for anything else?”

“No,” L shook his head, “Go on…Thank you for everything today.”

_I should be the one thanking you_ _._ Light gave him a nod, “You’re welcome. Just doing my job.”

“Why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon off?” L insisted, “You’ve done enough for one day.”

“Are you sure?” Light worried, “You don’t want me to stay, just in case?”

“I’ll be fine,” L melted inside, doing his damnedest to hold himself together. _He…wants to stay? One would think after that sudden kiss, he’d want to find any way out he could get…Interesting. You are definitely a complex creature, Light Yagami. And I may not know what I’m going to do with you._

“Alright then,” Light bowed out, “See you tomorrow.”

“That was the plan.” _Unless I see you tonight. That’s still an option, too. You just don’t know about it quite yet._

Light waved behind him to the others and headed for the elevator. With a heavy reminder of L in his non candy pocket. He pulled out the small token of L’s appreciation and looked it over. _It really is a beautiful watch…And he did say this was for me. For the coffee…And…Well…That._ Light undid the clasp on the band and slid it onto his wrist. _Dammit…He was right. This watch does look good on me._ Light could deny it all he wanted. The shiny trinket on his wrist made him smile inside. The little bit of luxury put him in a place he couldn’t describe. _She used to do the same thing, but why does this one not feel like a weight on my wrist?_

L sat back in his chair, twiddling his thumbs while the rest of the task force bounced ideas off each other. _Why did I let him leave? I should’ve at least given him that number…I’ll ask him about tonight later. Once everyone has left, we’ll have all the time in the world. As long as it doesn’t scare him off. We need to figure out what this could be before it gets out of hand. Or more importantly, before it gets out of my hands…_

“Ryuzaki…” Soichiro tapped on L’s shoulder, “Do you think I could speak to you?”

“Yes,” L allowed, “Is everything alright?”

“Well…” Soichiro braced himself, “It’s more of a personal matter.”

“Yes, Mr. Yagami?” _Something tells me he doesn’t know about what his son gets up to behind closed doors. He didn’t know about Mikami when he gave me his card. I’m sure he really doesn’t know about Mikami either. If that’s the case, then what would he want to ask me?_


	11. Awkward Moments and International Travel Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. How are we doing? Well, I hope? That’s good to hear. If you’re not, then I’m so sorry. If it’s a physical thing, I have rudimentary medical knowledge, but probably everything you’ve heard before. If it’s a mental thing, that’s kind of where I shine, so you know where my inbox is. If you don’t want to put it in a public forum, my Twitter DMs are open. But more importantly, we have a cliffhanger from last week to resolve. And I don’t know about you, but I really like the way it’s resolved. You ready? You have a snack? A drink? Possibly reading this in the bathtub? I don’t know your life. But I digress. Shall we continue? I think so x

When Light got home, he did a quick check of the house. _Looks like no one’s home. Good._ He went straight to his room and threw himself onto the bed. Images from Nakameguro flashed through his mind with no help from the new watch on his wrist. Light put his fingers up to his lips, still in disbelief. _Did I really kiss L? No. He came onto me! Right? Definitely. That’s exactly what happened. Then, why do I feel so guilty? Like sneaking cookies before dinner when I was little? And I still got to keep the cookie._ Light wanted to shake the feeling, but he couldn’t’ do it. He couldn’t get that kiss out of his head.

_When we were discussing my contract, L did say he’d be ok to be petty for the sake of justice. And me hanging on the arm of someone new that she’d know nothing about might be nice. If I can’t even find anything on the guy, I doubt she will. And that would piss her off to no end._ A sudden feeling of sadistic joy radiated through Light’s heart. Only for logic and reasoning to send it smashing to the ground. _No. At the end of the day, L is still my boss. And that’s all it needs to amount to. I need to do something about this before it escalates._

“Well, well,” Sayu stood in Light’s doorway, her backpack still on her shoulder, “You’re home early.”

“Hi, Sayu,” Light sat up, “How was school?”

“Fine,” she tossed her bag into her bedroom, “You didn’t get fired, did you?”

“No,” he rolled his eyes. _Good to see my sister believes in me,_ “My boss gave me the afternoon off.”

“Why?” Sayu jumped onto the empty spot on Light’s bed.

And Light nearly fell off, “Do you mind? I don’t know why he did, but he did. And here we are.”

“Alright,” she backed off, “Mr. Cranky Pants…Do you have class this afternoon?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “Why?”

“Then,” Sayu crossed her fingers, “Does that mean you’re free to tutor me some more?”

“Of course,” he promised, “I always got time for that. What’s tripping you up?”

Sayu stared down at the floor, biting the inside of her cheek, “Geometry proofs…”

“Still?” Light groaned, “Sayu, I thought we had a handle on that.”

“It goes in one ear and out the other,” Sayu defended, “It does not stick. When it comes to geometry proofs, Light, my brain is Teflon.”

“It’s only Teflon because you let it be Teflon,” Light teased, thanking every deity he could think of that she wasn’t digging any deeper about L. _Weird. Sayu is usually like a drug sniffing dog when it comes to that,_ “Proofs are easy once you get used to them.”

“Do we have to start on it now?” she whined a bit, “I just got home. After being in school all day. Can’t I have a little break?”

“If you get it done now,” he argued, “You’ll have the rest of the night for a break.”

“Nerd.”

“I don’t have to help you, Sayu.”

“Alright!” Sayu got her geometry book, “What’s with you today, Light? The stick seems further up than usual.”

“What stick?” The metaphor wasn’t lost on him, although it also wasn’t appreciated. 

“You seem more off kilter,” she checked him over, “Did something happen today? When you say your boss let you go early, did you actually storm out of work?”

“No,” Light groaned, “That’s not your business. I don’t want to talk about it, Sayu. Look, I love you and when I figure things out, I’ll tell you, but right now, you need to back off.”

“Then,” Sayu did just that, “Help me out with my geometry homework.”

“Gladly.” _I knew I wasn’t going to come out of that unscathed. Fortunately, Sayu knows when to stop._

For the next hour or so, Light helped Sayu figure out what geometry proofs were and why they were important to function in society. They weren’t. They were merely tools for critical thinking skill development and served no function except in a niche market. Geometry proofs were nothing but lies. All according to Sayu Yagami. But to her brother, they were just questions on her homework that happened to piss her off. Luckily for both of them, they heard the front door open downstairs.

“I’m home!” Sachiko called from the entryway.

“Stay,” Light shoved a finger in his sister’s face, “Keep working. You’re getting better. Don’t lose that streak.”

“Thanks, Light,” Sayu stretched out on Light’s bed and went back to her homework…much to her own chagrin.

“Hi, Mom,” Light skipped downstairs, taking a few of the grocery bags from her, “This is a lot for just us, don’t you think?”

“Your father called earlier,” Sachiko told him, “He said we were having company tonight, so I thought I’d stop by the store and grab a few things.”

“I wouldn’t call this a few,” he chuckled a bit, “Is there any more in the trunk?”

“A couple bags,” she nodded, “Could you go get them for me?”

“Sure,” Light really was such a good boy. Especially for his mother. But the walk between her car and the house got him thinking. _Who the hell would Dad be bringing home? I mean, it’s not the first time he’s brought someone from the task force around here. But the last time he did that, it was Matsuda and it turned into a mess. Matsuda’s not much older than me, but it ended in almost marrying Sayu off to him._ Light laughed at the memory. _And Sayu turned him down. Broke his heart._

When Light came back inside, he helped Sachiko put them all away, “Thank you, Light.”

“No problem,” Light gave her a nod, “Hey, Mom, did Dad say who was coming?”

“No,” she shook her head, “Just someone from work. If he did say his name, I don’t remember.”

“Oh,” he finished up, “Ok. If you need me, I’ll be upstairs helping Sayu with her homework.”

“Ok.”

Light went back up to his bedroom, mostly to make sure Sayu wasn’t doing her own investigations. He left his phone unattended and it wasn’t exactly uncharacteristic of L to send him random texts. _We wouldn’t want Sayu getting the wrong idea._ Instead, he found her diligently buried in her book. Light let out a heavy sigh of relief, “How’s it going?”

“They’re a little easier,” Sayu shut her book, “I already got them done while you were helping Mom.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Hey, Light,” she sat up on the bed, “Really…You seem sketchy. What’s up?”

“I already told you,” Light threw himself into his desk chair, “It’s nothing. I just have a lot on my mind right now.”

“You know where my room is,” Sayu gathered her books, “You know…If you need to talk.”

“And you know where mine is,” Light smiled a little. _She really does mean well. And I love her for it. But sometimes, these things aren’t meant for you to handle, Sayu. I should be the one taking care of you, not you taking care of me._ Light leaned his head back and shut his eyes for a moment or two. _But damn, it’d be nice to turn my head off for a while._ The sound of the front door shutting snapped him out of it. _Huh…Dad must be home._

“Welcome home, dear,” Sachiko greeted him at the door, “Light! Sayu! Dinner’s ready!”

“Coming!” Sayu called from her room.

Light was already on his way out anyway. Meanwhile, Sachiko smiled at their new guest, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Ryuzaki.”

Light froze in his tracks. _Mr. Ryuzaki…Why does that name sound familiar? Why is that ringing bells in my head? I know that name. It’s not exactly uncommon, but why do I know that name?_ Then, Light made it to the top of the stairs…And noticed who stood at the bottom. _Oh, shit…That’s where I know it from._ Light’s heart stopped at the sight of L in his entryway. _What the hell is he doing here?! And out of everyone at the task force, why did Dad have to bring him?_

“And you as well, Mrs. Yagami,” L reciprocated the sentiment. Then, he caught a glimpse of Light at the top of the stairs. And he did his best to hide the little smile on his face, “Hello, Light.”

“Can I speak with you?” Light asked with a hint of acidity in his tone, “Privately?”

“Of course,” L climbed the stairs, his heart racing out of his chest. _So bold of you to invite me upstairs in front of your parents, Light. If you’re not careful, I may develop a complex._ As L followed Light into his bedroom, he started making his judgments. _Not overly elaborate in the decorating. Practical. Much like Light himself. We can change that, can’t we?_ L sat down in Light’s desk chair, “I did text you about this.”

“What?” Light didn’t expect L to be that perceptive of his sudden irritation. He grabbed his phone from his nightstand and checked his messages only to find the folder empty, “No, you didn’t?”

“Yes, I did,” L swore, “It was a last minute invitation from your father. He backed me into a corner and I couldn’t say no. Normally, I’d have Watari there to turn these things down, but he had gone on an errand run for me, so…Here we are.”

“I never got your text,” Light argued, showing L his phone.

“I know I sent it to you,” L pulled his own out of his pocket and scrolled through his messages. The message to Light still blinked in the text box, “Oops.”

“Oops?”

“I guess I got too caught up in it,” L showed Light his phone screen, “I forgot to hit send. Please forgive me. I really didn’t mean to spring this on you, Light. If you wanted me to go, I’d understand.”

“No,” Light settled him, “Don’t worry about it. I’m just overreacting. It’s alright if you want to stay. Besides, we don’t need to raise suspicion downstairs.”

“Thank you,” L gave him an appreciative nod. Something shiny caught his eye. And that smile he had been holding back finally came out, “And Light?”

“What?”

“That’s an awfully pretty bracelet you have there,” L smirked.

“I haven’t taken it off since the elevator,” Light admitted, “But please. For the love of God, don’t say anything about it at the table.”

“Not a word,” L promised.

And just like that, the two of them walked back downstairs and to the kitchen table. Of course, this couldn’t go unnoticed. Soichiro worried about his children. Light in particular, “Is everything ok?”

“Fine,” L took the lead on that. Along with the seat across from Light.

“That’s good to hear,” Soichiro relaxed, “I hope this is alright with you, too, Light.”

“It’s fine with me,” Light allowed, “I’m not going to stop you.”

“So, Dad,” Sayu asked, “How was work?”

“Same old, same old,” Soichiro began.

However, Light tuned out most of the conversation. Not that he could really focus on it in the first place. Out of nowhere, he felt something soft and gentle under the table running up and down his leg. _What the hell…?_ Light looked under the table. Sure enough, L’s foot had made its way to Light’s leg. Meanwhile, L’s face made absolutely no emotion. Light jumped a little. Not enough to cause alarm at the table, but enough to make L notice. That little jump was plenty to put a smile on his face. _Relax, Light. What good is flirting if no one’s around to see it?_

“Ryuzaki,” Soichiro snapped L out of his headspace. 

“Yes?” L started paying attention. _I need to stop doing that. Oh, well._

“How long will you be in town?” he wondered.

“I’m not sure,” L shrugged, “As long as it takes to finish this case. Then, chances are, I’ll go back home and wait for the next big one to come across the wire.”

“Where will you go?” Sachiko asked.

“Home,” L reiterated, “My house in Chelsea should do.”

“Chelsea?” Soichiro looked at him strange, “I thought you said you lived in England.”

“I do live in England,” L confirmed, “Chelsea’s in the West End. And if he’s not careful, I may end up having to take Light with me as well.”

“What?” Light’s heart stopped. _What the hell kind of angle is he trying to work here? And in front of my family?_

“You’ve shown great promise in these last few days, Light,” L pointed out, “If you continue on this track, I’d be stupid to leave you here.”

“But,” Light argued, “That would mean me moving to England. I’m assuming, anyway.”

“That’s not for a while yet,” L settled him, still playing with Light’s leg under the table, “We’ll see at a later date. I don’t think I could thank you enough for putting him in my lap, Mr. Yagami.”

“I told you Light had potential,” Soichiro bragged his son up. Anyone who knew him personally knew everything there was to know about Light. He was his father’s pride and joy. However, it wasn’t the sentiment that put a vein in Light’s forehead, but the way he worded it. _I am not in your lap, L. I’m not available at your every beckoned call. At least, I don’t think so._ But then, the thousand pound weight Light’s wrist gave him an unfriendly reminder that even though L didn’t own him completely, he still held his hand when they crossed the street.

As dinner wound down to a slow crawl, L left the Yagami house and started heading home. _That could’ve gone a lot worse. I’m just glad Light didn’t kick me out. I really did think that message sent. Oh, well. No sense in dwelling on it now._ It got L thinking, though. _I did put spontaneous travel in his contract, didn’t I? I might need to act on that soon. But right now, I could stand some aspirin…His mother seems like she tries too hard to hold the family together and his sister could rattle on for days. Still…Not the worst thing in the world…I wonder…_ L looked out the window at Shibuya’s neons. _Not yet._

“Excuse me,” L called up to the driver.

“Yes, Mr. Ryuzaki?”

“Could you turn around please?”

“Yes, sir.”

Meanwhile, Light had gone back upstairs to nurse the same headache L dealt with. He laid down for a moment and buried his face in his pillows. _That…Was…Exhausting. It’s not bad enough I need to deal with him at work and at school, but in my downtime, too? It could’ve been worse, though. It could’ve been so much worse. At least when he was getting a little too close, he wasn’t obvious about it._ Light would never admit it out loud, but he kind of liked it.

“Light…”

_Shit…Just what I need on top of this,_ “What is it, Sayu?”

“I just thought I’d come in and say good night,” Sayu sat at the edge of his bed.

“What did you really come in here for, Sayu?” Light wasn’t going to fight her.

“You caught me.” She wasn’t exactly hiding it either, “What was that all about?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Light mumbled into his pillows.

“Was that your boss?” Sayu asked with glitter in her eyes.

“Yeah.”

“You know,” she admitted, “He’s kind of cute…Kind of like when you see a sleepy panda at the zoo.”

“Sayu!” Light gasped, “No!”

“What?” Sayu squeaked, “I’m just saying…Relax. He’s too old for me. But that’s who I’ve been teasing you about?”

“The very same.”

“And he’s already talking about you moving to England?” she thought it over for a moment or two, “Is there something going on here with you two?”

“I’ll let you know when I know,” Light rolled over, staring into his ceiling, “As far as I know, he’s my boss. He did call us friends today, though. It was kind of weird, but if he’s looking for a friend, I’m not going to say no. That would just be an asshole move.”

“Ok,” Sayu threw her arms around her brother, “You know, if that does end up amounting to something, Light, you can tell me about it.”

“I know,” Light nodded, “And I love you for that, Sayu. Telling Mom and Dad might be a different story. Especially since Dad was the one who told him about me in the first place. But I know I got you.”

“I was there for her,” she put her head on Light’s shoulder, “I was there for the other one. I was there for the Mikami incident. Wow, Light. You get around.”

“Shut up, Sayu,” Light gave her a gentle shove, giggling under his breath, “Go to bed.”

“That was the plan,” Sayu got up from Light’s bed, “Good night.”

“Good night,” Light sent her off and went back to his slight wallowing. _You really shouldn’t be the one to take care of me, Sayu, but damn, I’m glad I got you some days._

Beep.

_What the hell…?_ Light was giving consideration to going to bed, too. He wasn’t expecting his phone to go off. Let alone with a text from someone he had just seen.

_Are you alone?_

Light stared at the screen with great skepticism. _That’s not an ominous text at all._ Still, he wasn’t going to leave it alone. 

_Yes._

_Why?_

Beep.

_Let’s go get tea._

Light wasn’t sure what to think about the sudden invitation. On one hand, he wanted to curl up in bed and put this day behind him. Yet…Something about the text put him at ease. 

_Where do you want to meet?_

Beep.

_I’m already waiting outside._

Light chuckled to himself. _Why am I not surprised? I wonder how long he’s been sitting there._ Light looked out the front window and noticed a limo sitting in front of his house on the far side of the street.

_On my way down._


	12. Tea Time and Last Minute Trips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well…Hi there. Don’t I know you from somewhere? Spin class? Soul cycle? Yoga? A Lawlight gem on the internet? Book club? I think book club. Definitely book club. Were you the one that got white wine drunk and puked in the obviously fake yucca in Cindy’s living room that she tries to pass off as real, that bitch? Oh! We don’t know each other from book club? Ok. I’m trying to place you, though…Oh, well. Maybe you just have one of those faces. So, let’s get into today’s chapter, yeah?

“How long have you been sitting out here?” Light got in the back of L’s limo, holding back a little giggle. He made sure to sneak out as quietly as he could, as per L’s wishes. 

“Just a few minutes,” L assured him, “It’s not like I stalk you, Light.”

_It sure feels like you do sometimes,_ “Have you been waiting for me all this time?”

“No,” L shook his head, “I turned around just before I left Shibuya. I needed some peace and thought I’d bring you along.”

“Is everything alright?” Light wondered.

“Again,” L reiterated, “I just needed some peace.”

_I hope everything’s alright,_ “So, where are we going?”

“I was thinking Shimokitazawa again,” L decided, “Is that alright with you?”

“That’s fine by me,” Light allowed.

And just like that, the two of them headed for Shimokitazawa. L’s favorite tea shop was still open. Although, it was getting closer and closer to closing time. Still, the tea shop was completely vacant, with the exception of the staff. If L sought out peace, there would be no better time to come here. L and Light situated themselves in a booth and made themselves comfortable. In his brief time in Japan, L had made a name for himself with the owner. It wasn’t often someone would come in and order six different cakes and eat them in one sitting. A sweet young lady brought out a strawberry pound cake and two cups of green tea for them.

“There really is no coming between you and cake, is there?” Light teased, noticing the massive smile on L’s face.

“Again,” L reminded him, ready to stab anyone that got near his cake, “I’m a bit of a sugar junkie. Let me live.”

“I’m not judging,” Light backed off, “Just merely pointing it out.”

“You know, Light,” L began his sweet, delicious feast, “I really am sorry for springing tonight on you. I didn’t think you would’ve minded me being there.”

“I didn’t,” Light promised, “And you didn’t spring tonight on me. My dad did. Don’t worry about it, L. We’re good.”

“That’s good to hear,” L melted inside, “I like how things are with us, Light. I like that they’re…I don’t know. Like this.”

“What do you mean?” Light asked.

_Oh, Light…You’re so pretty,_ “The fact that I can ask you out on a whim and you’ll say yes without hesitation.”

“I couldn’t leave you outside like that,” Light shrugged, “It wouldn’t be right. You did ask nicely and it’s not like you’re asking me for a kidney. Besides, it’s good to get out of the house once in a while.”

“At ten o'clock at night?” L pointed out, “When we both have class in the morning?”

“We don’t have class until noon,” Light settled him, “It’s not like it’s putting me out that much. And if I’m suffering because of it, then I know I’m in good company.”

“I’m a horrible insomniac, Light,” L argued, “I can handle running on no sleep better than what you can. Although, it’s been considerably easier since I came here. I wonder why.”

“I don’t know,” Light stared into his tea, “But I am glad you asked me out tonight, L. I could stand a little peace, too.”

“Thank you,” L held back a smile.

“However,” Light had a flashback to just a few hours ago, “I think you’re partially responsible for why I needed that peace.”

“And why is that?” _I was wondering when you’d get to that._

“During dinner,” Light remembered, a slight fire burning in him, “You knew exactly what you were doing under the table, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did,” L scoffed, “I was the one in control of it.”

“Yeah,” Light felt that fire move from his belly to his cheeks, “But we were also in mixed company. Do you know the kind of bloodhound my younger sister is for shit like that? If I go home and don’t get put through an interrogation, I’m in the clear. If I go home and her bedroom light is still on, I’m screwed.”

“You’ll be fine,” L assured him, “I have no doubt you’ll be able to maneuver whatever questions she may have for you. If all else fails, lie to her. Tell her you were having some strange stomach pains and you were trying to keep them to yourself. She won’t say another word.”

“Clearly, you’ve never met Sayu…”

“That’s not true,” L pointed out, “I just met her tonight.”

“Always have to have the last word, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well,” Light chuckled to himself, “At least you’re honest.”

“I try to be anyway,” L went back to his cake.

“Hey, L,” Light cocked his head, “Since we’re being honest here, can I ask you a question?”

“I encourage any and all questions, Light,” L insisted, “What’s on your mind?”

“In my contract,” Light wondered, “You told me to keep my nights free. Is this the reason why?”

“Yes,” L wasn’t going to hold back. Not anymore, “Since we are being honest, I might as well tell you. Sometimes, I need to turn off, Light. Completely. No thinking about the case. No thinking about work. No dealing with whatever may be causing me stress. Just…Quiet. And this right here? This is nice. This is the way I wish I could operate all the time. But my brain is like a machine. It’s constantly in motion and it never knows when to take a break. It exhausts me to no end. Honestly, I think that’s one of the main reasons why I hired you.”

“Really?” _How wound is this guy? And how long does he hide this for?_

“I like coming here with you,” L confessed, “No one else can say they’ve had that privilege. Not even Watari. And he’s my most trusted. But since we started coming here together, it’s almost as if it got even more peaceful.”

“Do you have somewhere like this back where you live?” Light wondered.

“The Chelsea Embankment,” L nodded, “Really and truly, Light. I’d love to take you back to England with me some day. Maybe when this is all over with. Either the Chelsea Embankment or the London Eye. The London Eye is a good spot, too.”

“What’s the London Eye?”

“It’s a big ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames,” L shut his eyes, putting himself back there, “As much as I love it here and as calming as the Chelsea Embankment is, there’s something…Magical about the London Eye. It puts everything into perspective.”

“Really?” Light thought it over, “So, it’s kind of like the Odaiba ferris wheel?”

“The what?” L perked up.

“The Odaiba ferris wheel,” Light repeated himself, “Odaiba is a tourist trap for the most part, but it also has one of the biggest ferris wheels in the world. I’ve been on it a handful of times and it sounds a lot like when you talk about the London Eye. I’m not sure which one is bigger, but I’m sure it’s a lot of the same.”

“Really?” L felt a strange warmth in his chest. One he hadn’t felt much since he left home. _I wonder if it really would give off the same result. Only one way to find out, I suppose,_ “And how far is Odaiba from here?”

“It’s about a twenty-minute drive,” Light told him, “But it’s worth it. As tourist trappy as it is, Odaiba’s pretty neat. And the ferris wheel closes at eleven, I think.”

“It does,” L was already on his phone, looking at the specs of the ferris wheel, “Let’s go.”

“Right now?” Light gave him a strange look, “Seriously?”

“Right now,” L got up.

“Are you nuts?” Light followed him out, “It’s already so late and now, you want to take a trip to Odaiba?”

“Do you have somewhere else to be, Light?” L wondered.

“No, but…”

“Then, it’s settled,” L’s driver got the door for them, “Odaiba, please. As soon as possible.”

“Yes, Mr. Ryuzaki.”

“L, this is ridiculous,” Light squeaked, “Even for you.”

“I told you,” L reminded him, “It’s even in your contract. Spontaneous travel is a requirement. Even if that spontaneous travel is at ten o'clock at night and only twenty minutes away. Get in.”

_That doesn’t make this any less ridiculous. I mean, I’ve never been to Odaiba so late at night._ But Light learned quickly what he got himself into. He knew that L’s whims weren’t always exactly conventional. He still had a shiny reminder of L’s whims on his wrist. And so, L and Light left Shimokitazawa behind for the bright future of Odaiba. The ride was a quiet twenty minutes. Light still couldn’t believe they were doing this. He looked over at L, who sat riveted by the view outside his window. Light held back a smile. _He really can be like a little kid sometimes, can’t he?_

Once they crossed the bridge into Odaiba, L’s excitement only grew from there. Closer and closer, they got to the ferris wheel. As they got out of the car, without even thinking about it, L took Light’s hand, “You’re not afraid of heights, are you, Light?”

“No,” Light shook his head, caught a little off guard by L’s gesture, “I’ve done this ferris wheel a few times over. I think I can handle it.”

“Good,” L paid for both their seats and the two of them boarded. Much like the ride to Odaiba, the ascent to the top of the wheel was just as quiet. Not that much needed to be said. However, Light found it strange that L had yet to let go of his hand. He watched as L proceeded to begin his out of body experience.

_There’s no telling what goes on in L’s head. I’m sure it’s an absolute maze up there. But like a topiary maze. Where the flowers still bloom on the bushes and it doesn’t matter how lost one gets in it. There’s no beating the view._ Light studied the subtle movements on L’s face. Every half smile, every crease in his forehead, and the wave of relief that washes over him. _He seems different tonight. He’s so calm. It’s not like when he’s working with the task force or even when we’re sitting in class. He’s truly at peace._ Light started making more connections in his head. _I’ve only seen him like this when it’s just him and me._ As those connections came together, an overwhelming feeling hit Light like a ton of bricks. _I’m so damn clueless sometimes…_

But Light didn’t want to break L out of his serene headspace. There would be no telling what kind of aftermath that would leave. What kind of disaster that could cause. What kind of a husk it may leave behind. _But that’s just something we’re going to have to live with. We’ll be able to handle it,_ “Hey…L?”

“Yes, Light?” L hardly budged.

_That’s a good sign, right? Here goes nothing._ Then, Light took L’s cheek in the palm of his hand, slowly turning his head back toward him. He gently pressed his lips against L’s, making sure to not be too rough with him, treating him with the utmost tenderness. _I don’t know if we could call this vengeance for what happened at the table or for what happened in Nakameguro or for what’s been going on practically since we met. Hopefully, it’ll count better as an apology for being so blind._

As Light pulled away from L, he didn’t realize what he had done. And it only became apparent in the tears welling up in L’s eyes, “Are you ok?”

L couldn’t wrap his head around it. Through all his genius, there were still things where he’d consider himself incredibly stupid. _Why? Why can’t you be like the others? Why can’t you just blindly use me and call it affection? Why can’t you just fall in line like they did and let me pass that off as love? Why do you have to be different?_ He hardly spoke above a whisper, “What do you want from me, Light?”

“What?” Light gasped. _That kiss was incredible. How in the hell did it break him so badly?_

“You heard me,” L growled a little, “What do you want from me?”

“Um…” Light wasn’t sure what to think. _Did I just…When he kissed me in Nakameguro, it was totally fine to him, but when I show him the same courtesy…Did I just piss him off?_

“Answer me,” L demanded, his body shaking.

“To keep my employment,” Light crossed his fingers, hoping L didn’t fire him on the spot.

“What else?”

“What else?” Light gave him a look, his heart racing out of his chest, “Nothing. Look, L, I thought I made it clear from the beginning. I’m not after your money. Other than what I earn in my paycheck. And even after you paying off my college tuition, I still don’t want them for a while yet. Even when you said we could go after my ex for the sake of petty justice, that felt like taking too much from you.”

“I don’t get it,” L held his face in his hands, “My past exes…They were needy and greedy and they had expensive tastes. And I was ok with that. I was happy to indulge them with every whim their hearts desired. But then…Then, there’s you. Why do you perplex me so much, Light Yagami? And how do you do it?”

“I don’t think I’m the only one here that’s had some shitty exes,” Light chuckled under his breath, hoping to make the conversation a little less heavy, “I guess I’m just not what you’re used to.”

“That’s for sure.” As the ride came to an end and the attendant was about to open the door, L handed him enough for another ride around. God knows they’re going to need it. On their way to the top, things were quiet. But then, L’s hand found its way back into Light’s, “Thank you for taking me here tonight, Light. And I’m sorry for going off on you like that.”

“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize what you were trying to do,” Light tightened his grip, giving L all the reassurance he needed, “I’ll accept your apology if you accept mine.”

“That’s fair,” L nodded, “And…I know you said you weren’t here because of my money, but I wouldn’t exactly have a problem with treating you like a sugar baby. You know that, right?”

“Obviously,” Light shook his other wrist, showing off his watch.

“And…” L tiptoed a little closer, “If there’s anything else your heart ever desires…Please tell me.”

“I will,” Light promised, “But…”

“What is it?” L gasped, “Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine,” Light settled him, “It’s just getting kind of late. After this go around, we should probably think about heading home.”

“I understand,” L allowed. Something burned in the back of his mind, “Would it be too forward of me to ask you to come stay with me?”

“Just a little,” Light shot him down, “If we’re really going to do this, then we should probably take it slow. At least at first. Until we can adjust to each other.”

“Ok.” _That’s not too unreasonable. I knew I liked you for a reason, Light. I just didn’t understand it until now._ When the ferris wheel got back to the bottom, L and Light got off and went back into the limo, “Do you think we could ever come back here?”

“Any time,” Light smiled a bit, “I’d be happy to come back.”

The whole way back to Shibuya, things were quiet. Yet, Light’s hand never left L’s. Nothing needed to be said. In that one small gesture, all that needed to be said had was already being said. Light’s head still reeled with the thought of the sudden kiss he gladly gave to the man sitting next to him. However, L’s head still reeled with the sudden outburst of affection that he had never felt before. They both had a considerable amount of thinking to do in order to get through the night. Fortunately, they still had class tomorrow morning. As the limo pulled up to the Yagami residence, neither one of them wanted to let go.

“And you’re sure you don’t want to come back to Omotesando with me?” L hoped Light had changed his mind.

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Light clarified, “It’s that we shouldn’t. Not yet. We can wait a little while.”

“I suppose so,” L pouted a little.

“I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” Light did his best to turn L’s frown upside down.

“Yes.” And it worked, “See you in class tomorrow.”

“Good night,” Light got out of the car, but not without one last little kiss for L. 

“Good night.” The limo pulled away from the curb and Light went into his house. _Thank God, Sayu’s gone to bed._

When L got back to his hotel room in Omotesando, the lights in the main room were still on. And Watari sat on the chair, working on a needlepoint, “It’s awfully late, L. Long night at the Yagami household?”

“I wasn’t at the Yagami household,” L swore, “I couldn’t sleep, so I went to Shimokitazawa for a little while.”

“Where else?” Watari knew L better than L knew himself. Pulling one over on him didn’t come easy.

“Odaiba,” L held back a smile, making himself comfortable on the couch, “It was nice.”

“You and Light again?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure about this one, L?” Watari worried. _I’ve seen what happened with the last two. We don’t need you going through another one._

“He’s not like the others, Watari,” L promised, his heart radiating such a warmth and a phantom feeling of Light still on his lips, “He’s…definitely not like the others. “

“Please,” Watari begged, “Be careful, Lawliet. I’d hate to see you get hurt again.”

“I will,” L got up from the couch and started heading toward his bedroom, “Good night, Watari.”

“Good night.”

Just before L climbed into bed, he made a quick check of his phone. Seeing a little number one in a red circle above the envelope icon made him smile. Before he opened the message, L got into bed, pulling the blankets over himself. Then, he opened his messages.

_Good night, L_

_Sleep well_

_See you tomorrow._

L buried his face in his pillows, doing his best to regain his composure. At least enough to send a text back.

_Good night, Light_

_See you tomorrow._


	13. Wet Dreams and Civics Exam Distractions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. How are we doing? Well, I hope? That’s good. Hey, remember when L and Light had that really sweet moment on the ferris wheel last week? Well, would you care to see the aftermath? And just as a slight forewarning, this week gets a little…naughty. Let’s just say that. Some things you’ve all been waiting for, you thirsty bitches. There’s a complimentary refillable water bottle included with your welcome packet. Stay hydrated, my babies. Enjoy.

The morning sun shined through Light’s window, burning his eyes. He looked over at his alarm clock, but he could hardly see it through the spots in his vision. _It’s probably late._ He knew he slept in. Light could feel it deep in his bones. He slept in. _Class doesn’t start until noon. I’ll be fine._ He pulled himself together and shuffled his feet downstairs. Although, he wasn’t expecting to hear voices in kitchen. _Who the hell…?_

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Yagami,” a familiar voice shook Light to his very core. _Oh, no. No, no, no. It is too early for that bullshit._

“Anytime, dear,” Sachiko gushed in the only way she could, “You know where we live. Would you care for more tea?”

“If it wouldn’t be too much to ask.”

“L?” Light shoved his fist in his eye, struggling to believe what he was seeing.

“Good morning, Light,” L greeted him, “Did you sleep well?”

“What are you doing here?” Light wondered, “We don’t have class until noon and I don’t start work until three.”

“I know,” L got up from the kitchen table, “I just thought I’d come see you. And I figured going directly up to your room would’ve been indecent.”

Immediately, Light was ready to beat the ever-holy hell out of his boss, “Why would you be going to my room in the first place?”

“I think you know why…” L moved in a little closer. Out of nowhere, Light started pouring sweat.

“L…” his breathing quickened, “What are you doing? Are you really going to do this here?”

“It’s alright,” L spoke softly, getting even closer.

“Hey, Mom?” Light asked, his voice going up an octave, “Do you think you could…”

But Sachiko was already gone. _When did she take off? And why would she leave me alone with him?_ Light shook it off. Or more likely, he was snapped out of his head when he felt L’s body pressed against his, “I told you, Light…It’s ok.”

“What are you doing?” Light tried to back off, only for L to make up the distance, “L…This isn’t like you.”

“Oh, but it is,” L assured him, “It’s just a side of me you haven’t seen yet. Do you trust me?”

“Well…” Light didn’t know how to answer that. L had him practically cornered. _What the hell is going on with him? Whether this is a new side of him or not, this still isn’t like L at all,_ “Yes, but…”

“Then, we’re fine…” L lifted Light’s chin to him, “And do you know what the best part is?”

“What?” Light’s voice quivered.

L got into Light’s ear, letting out a little purr, “You are completely powerless. You are finally letting yourself be totally at my mercy. And you like it, don’t you?”

“I…” Light couldn’t even formulate a proper sentence. His head was gone. And as L placed a gentle kiss on Light’s cheek, it only got worse, “What is happening…?”

“Shh…” L put a finger up to Light’s lips, “I told you, Light. Let me spoil you once in a while. It’s ok.”

His kisses started to move further down Light’s body until L was finally on his knees in front of Light. Instantly, Light turned bright red, “L, what the hell are you doing?”

“I told you…” L pulled the zipper down on Light’s pants, “I wanted to spoil you, Light. Why? Do you want me to stop?”

“No…” Light was quick on the answer, “Please…Don’t.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” a dirty smirk stretched across L’s face, sending Light into an incredibly feral place. His heart nearly jumping out of his chest, his body convulsing in ways no one has ever made it go before. Light watched as L wrapped his lips around the end of his dick, slowly taking in inch by inch, sucking harder and harder with every pass. Light did all he could to hold back the little grunts and moans struggling to escape his throat and L savored every little bit of it. Light grabbed a handful of L’s hair and braced himself for what came next…

Unfortunately for Light, it was waking up out of breath in a cold sweat in his bed. _A dream…It was just a…_ But then, he looked down at his bedding, mostly to make sure L wasn’t hiding in it. However, he started to think he didn’t just wake up in a pool of his own sweat. _Seriously? What am I, fifteen?_ Light squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that the mess in his bed was a dream, too. When he opened them again, everything remained. Light rolled over and looked at the clock. Shortly after ten. _Dad’s at work. Sayu’s in school. Hopefully, Mom’s not home. Nobody else needs to see this._

After a quick shower, Light bundled up his bedding and made his way to the laundry room, keeping an eye out for his mother. Luckily, the house was empty. Sachiko left a note on the fridge, letting Light know where she went off to. The laundry room would be perfectly safe. Disgusted with himself, Light threw his sheets in the washer and started the machine. _Did I really…? I can’t even bring myself to think it. One night. I had ONE NIGHT with L last night that was…considerably tame compared to my dream. Just ONE. Is that really all it takes?_

_But that dream…_ Light couldn’t shake the memory out of his head. Albeit false. _Why can’t I stop thinking about it? And why did I have to wake up? And to my bed drenched!_ He wouldn’t have admitted it in a million years, but even though the events that transpired in the Yagami kitchen never happened, Light still felt like he was floating. Even when he walked through the kitchen to get to the laundry room, his pants got a little tighter. _And I have to go to class today…Wonderful._

Before Light left, he had his bed remade and no one would be the wiser. He grabbed his bag off his desk chair and headed out. To make his morning even better, a black limousine was parked in front. _Oh, great. I wonder who this could be._ As much as he didn’t want to…As much as Light wanted to run to the nearest train station instead, he got into the car. He suppressed his dream from last night into the deepest recesses of his mind.

“Hello, Light,” L greeted him as if nothing had happened. 

The dam on Light’s brain was not sealed tight enough. It couldn’t have been tight enough for something like that. Two little words and Light went back to his dream again. But he managed to pull himself together long enough to get something out. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact with the man sitting next to him, “Um…Hi.”

Of course, L couldn’t let this go unnoticed, “Are you ok? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were…unhappy to see me.”

“No!” Light immediately got defensive. _What the hell, Light? One little dirty dream and you’re freaking out like this? Pull yourself together. Find your calm._ Light quickly cleared his throat, “No. It’s not that…”

“Then,” L rolled the screen between the back and the driver all the way up, just so he could slip his hand into Light’s, “What is it?”

“I…” Light slowly and carefully took his hand back, “Had a weird dream last night. And it’s kind of got me a little shaken up.”

L started to understand, “Like the kind of dreams that wake you up at two o'clock in the morning with a panic attack?”

“Sort of.” _Or the kind that has me waking up at ten o'clock in the morning with my pajama pants stuck to my leg._

“Do you…” L suggested, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No!” Light only freaked out more, internally hating himself for letting it get this bad.

“Ok…” L backed off, his hand shaking a little.

_Shit…Look at what you’ve done now, Light. Way to go._ Light couldn’t leave L like that. Much to his own chagrin, he took L’s hand back, “I’ll be fine. I’m just a little rattled. It’ll pass.”

“Ok,” L could breathe easier. _There’s something you’re not telling me, Light. The detective in me wants to know more. Although, I should probably respect your boundaries here. I wouldn’t want you running off on me. Not when we’re already so close. Maybe you could use a distraction,_ “In that case, are you ready for the civics exam today?”

Light’s blood ran cold, “Is that today?”

“Yes, it is,” L confirmed, “Why?”

_He’s a distraction. Of course he is. I don’t know how he got in my head, but somehow, L burrowed his way into my brain, deep into my subconscious, and now, he lives there rent free. Why? Why did I let it get this bad? I had every opportunity to cut this off and walk away, but here I am._ But then, in the middle of his spiral, Light had a brief moment of clarity. _What am I even thinking? I can do this. It’s just a civics exam. It’s not like I have anything to worry about. After copying my notes for L, I got a decent grasp on the material. I got it._

A little smile made its way onto Light’s face. And a wave of serenity washed over him, “No reason.”

“You sound awfully confident.”

“It’s civics,” Light shrugged, “It’s not exactly something I’ve ever really had to try at.”

“Now,” L teased, “You just sound cocky.”

“No,” Light shook his head, “It’s not cocky. It’s confident. Promise.”

“That’s too bad,” L stretched back in his seat, “I always kind of liked a little cocky once in a while.”

Light chuckled a bit to himself. _Yeah. I know. I’ve seen._

As the limo pulled up to the front entrance of To-Oh University, L and Light made their way to their civics class and sat down with their exams in front of them. Light managed to get as much of his imaginary tryst with L out of his head as he could and got to work. _I don’t know why I was ever worried. It’s just a civics exam. And it’s not like what happened with L is real. If that’s the case, then why did I ever freak out like it was? Not today, subconscious. Not today._

Light skimmed his exam questions, answering each and every one of them correctly with no problems. However, that’s when things started taking a turn. Visions of L’s head between his legs popped back into his head. And his blood flow redirected itself. _No…Not here! Not now! I’m in the middle of a civics exam! I can’t be thinking about L now!_ Light took a few even breaths, doing his best to settle himself down. _If thinking about it distracts me, then thinking about the complete opposite should focus me, right? It’s worth a shot._

Only one thing came to mind. Light’s dream put him at ease. However, the memory of signing his final NDA with his ex only made him tense and miserable. Every detail of that day flooded his senses. The small, poorly lit room they were in. The smell of the polish used on the simulated wood. Her sweet, floral perfume. The flow of the black ink coming out of the pen. Light finally managed to irritate himself just enough to calm down. As masochistic as it sounded, his misery made him feel better.

That was until he flashed back to the one detail that could throw him completely off. Her lawyer. As his daydream continued, their one night stand popped into Light’s head. However, instead of it happening in Mikami’s apartment, it happened on the table where the NDA was signed. And it only got Light riled up again. _No, dammit! Out of my head!_ Then, as a beacon of hope, her shrill, angry voice echoed through his head. _Light, why would you ever want to leave me? I thought you loved me!_ Nothing killed Light’s buzz quicker. He let out a sweet sigh of relief. _Thank God…_

Before he could have another incident like that in the middle of his civics class, Light quickly finished the rest of his exam, brought it to the professor’s desk, and walked out. He caught L’s attention, but before L could say anything, Light was already out the door. Light couldn’t be in there anymore. It suffocated him. _I need coffee. Or therapy. Both? Both would probably be a good idea. But coffee first. Then, we’ll see about therapy._


	14. Confessions and Vacation Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there. It’s wonderful to see you again. I’m glad we’re here together. Hey…I love you. In case you didn’t know. Just thought I'd check in. Make sure you're doing ok. You alright? Taking care of your heads, your hearts, and drinking plenty of water? Good. But anyway, because of the gay angst from last week, how about I pile a little more on? Just for the funsies. Yeah?

Once Light got out of his civics class, he could finally breathe again. All he needed now was something to even him out. And where better to get that magical liquid than the café across the street? Nothing like a caramel macchiato to set the nerves at ease. Light found a quiet, secluded table in the back, away from the rest of the customers. Right now, people were not a benefit to him. He just needed some quiet.

_What the hell is wrong with me? I’m better than this. I thought I was over that. At least…I thought I was. If I were to see Mikami’s face again, I’d probably be sick. I don’t even want to think about seeing her again. It’s bad enough I had to use her bitching to get me to settle down. I thought I was better than this. I can’t start slipping now. Not over one little dream. What if it happens again? What am I going to do then? Am I just going to quit sleeping for the sake of preventative measures? No…That’s ridiculous. Kind of like me getting so worked up over this. If that’s the case, then why in the ever-loving fuck am I getting so worked up over this?_

Light let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, overly done with himself. His head found the tabletop and it wasn’t going to move any time soon. _Why? Why is this getting to me? Why can’t I get it out of my head? Why can’t I just move on?_ Light continued to drown his struggles in more coffee, much like any other sane, stressed human being would. No one could blame him. Little did he know, he didn’t have to carry this burden alone. As much as he wanted to. He had someone in his corner. All he had to do was look up from the table.

“Hello, Light,” L kept his voice down, doing his best to offer what little comfort he could.

“Hi…” Light’s head perked up. The one on his shoulders, “What are you doing here?”

“You had me worried after the exam,” L nodded toward the empty seat, “Do you mind?”

“It’s a public place,” Light allowed, “Be my guest.”

“Thank you,” L sat across from him, “It was interesting how you stormed out of class.”

“I didn’t…” Light gave him a strange look, visions of the man across from him on his knees in his head, “I didn’t storm out of class.”

“Yes, you did,” L confirmed, “I saw it with my own two eyes, Light. That wasn’t just you casually strolling out the door.”

“Whatever,” Light wasn’t going to fight him. He didn’t have that kind of energy, despite being on his second macchiato.

_Huh…You went from defensive to complacent at the drop of a hat._ L didn’t want to even think it, but one thing burned in his brain, “Did I do something I shouldn’t have?”

“No…”

“Is this about last night?” L started getting nervous. _Watari was right. I came on too strong and now, he’s wanting to back out. But he didn’t seem like he wanted to back out last night._

“No,” Light rolled his eyes, “You…didn’t do anything. It wasn’t something you did.”

“Then, stop beating yourself up over it,” L ordered, “It’s not worth it.”

“It’s not exactly that simple,” Light continued to beat himself up over it. Whether L liked it or not.

“Come on,” L nudged him under the table, “How bad could it be?”

“It’s…” Light tried shaking it out of his thoughts, but…He couldn’t do it. He fidgeted around in his chair a bit, “Pretty bad.”

“Tell me.” L sat back and listened intently. _I didn’t have him pegged as the neurotic type. Well…Not this kind of neurotic anyway._

“I’d rather not,” Light kept his mouth shut. _How would one go about telling their boss, ‘you blew me in my dreams last night’?_

“Light,” L attempted to reach for Light’s hand. Only to remember the debacle that was the ride to school. He stopped, “It’s alright.”

“No…” Light grumbled under his breath, “It’s…It’s not. It’s not alright. I wish it was, too, but it’s just…not.”

“Look,” L gave it one last shot, “Unless you killed someone, I’m sure it’s a forgivable sin. It does have to do with me, doesn’t it? Will you at least tell me that?”

“Yeah,” Light started to come clean, “It did. Happy now?”

“Kind of,” L laced his fingers between Light’s, the earlier incident be damned. _He’s not pulling away…That’s a good sign,_ “It’s nice to know I’m occasionally on your mind.”

_You were on my dick last night,_ “Sadist.”

“Light,” L let out a little sigh, “Look. This is all new for me, too. Even I know it’s probably fine. Just…Tell me. Please?”

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

Light wasn’t sure what to do. On one hand, venting wouldn’t kill him. However, venting to the wrong person may not be the best idea. Case in point, L. _Things last night were…So good. They were peaceful. Why can’t we just go back to that? He’s got me in a corner here. Might as well. If he leaves, then he leaves. If he stays, he stays,_ “Where should I start?”

“At the beginning,” L told him, his chest feeling a bit lighter. _Thank you, Light…_

“Fine,” Light caved, staring into his empty cup, “I may need more coffee, though…”

Without another word, L got up and walked up to the counter, ordering another caramel macchiato for Light and some green tea for himself. Along with a cream puff. He couldn’t say no. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t hungry. He put Light’s coffee in front of him, “Go on.”

“Thank you,” Light couldn’t believe he actually got him another coffee. And that it was right. _Who am I kidding? It’s L. I shouldn’t be surprised,_ “That dream I told you about…”

“I remember,” L started scooping the cream out with his finger, licking it off with each pass, blissfully unaware of how big of a tease he was being to Light, “What about it?”

“Well,” Light swallowed his pride, trying his best to not watch the mildly suggestive display in front of him, “I thought I was awake when it started. My bed, my bedroom, my house. Everything seemed normal.”

“Except…?”

“Except,” Light bit the inside of his cheek, “You were downstairs, having a conversation with my mom.”

“Understandable,” L scraped the bottom of the pastry, “Your mother is a delightful woman. I’m failing to see where this is anything for you to get so worked up over, Light.”

“Just wait,” Light continued, “Because it was kind of late in the morning, you showed up to give me a ride to class.”

“Kind of like I did today?” L started making connections in his head. _So, that’s why he was so jumpy. Dreams have a strange way of blending reality sometimes._

“Exactly like you did today,” Light nodded, “Only in my dream…You kind of…started getting…a little too close. If you know what I mean…”

L thought it over for a moment or two. Then, things started to really click, “You mean, I was flirting with you and that’s what got to you so badly?”

“Not exactly…” Light felt a lighter burning brightly under his skin, “If this was what you consider flirting, I pray for whoever’s on the receiving end of your not flirting.”

“What did I do?” L gasped.

“You got close,” Light went on, “Then…You got really close. Then, you got _really_ close. And I didn’t stop you. I didn’t want to stop you. I mean, I did at first, but…Then, you started…And once you started…God, I didn’t want you to stop…”

“Wait a second,” L knew exactly what was going on, “You got this worked up over a dirty dream?”

“Yes, L,” Light snapped, “I got this worked up over a dirty dream. Because at the end of the day, that dirty dream was still about my boss.”

“You didn’t seem to think of me as your boss last night,” L pointed out, “Not the way you were acting on that ferris wheel.”

“But…”

“Why should this be any different?” L brushed him off, “So, you had a little dirty dream, Light. It’s not the end of the world. Can I tell you a secret?”

“What?” Light slumped down in his chair.

And in that moment, L let out a little smile, “I had one, too. About you.”

Plenty to get Light’s attention again, “Excuse me?”

“I had a dirty dream, too,” L confessed, “Not last night. That would’ve meant me sleeping. I didn’t get much of that. But the day after your interview, I had a dirty dream about you. It was kind of hard not to. You were good looking, intelligent…There was something special about you and I needed to know what that was. I took that dream as a sign to start chasing after you. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t regret it.”

“Yours probably wasn’t as bad as mine.”

“Light,” L held his face in his hands, overly exasperated with the man across from him, “I had you bent over my desk and screaming. I’m sure yours was just fine.”

_Holy shit…Wasn’t expecting that._ Light stared blankly at the seemingly quiet and mild mannered detective sitting with him, having a hard time believing what he was hearing. He glanced down into his cup, “You were blowing me in my kitchen.”

_There’s what we were looking for. Huh…Interesting. Wait,_ “Light…”

“What?” Light started to sweat.

“Didn’t you say your mother was in the kitchen as well?”

“Yeah.”

“While I was blowing you?” L wondered, “Because I don’t think we have that kind of time, nor the mental health professionals to unpack that.”

“No!” Light squeaked, “No, no, no. She was gone by then.”

“Ok…” L relaxed, “That’s comforting. At least I know we don’t have to unpack a possible Oedipus complex. Good. Light…?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?” L dropped another sugar cube into his tea.

“We’re already this far down the rabbit hole,” Light allowed, “Go ahead.”

“Are you happy I did?” L wondered, worried about the answer, “That I went after you? And please answer me honestly.”

“Honestly?” Light thought about it, “Not at first. I had a feeling you were kind of into me when I started, but I was thinking it’d pass.”

“And now?”

“I’m still undecided,” Light admitted, holding back a smile, “But it’s a lot better than what it used to be.”

“Good,” L could breathe easier, “Because I wasn’t lying last night, Light. I like the way things are with us. I’d hate for something to ruin it.”

“Not to be the one to ruin it,” Light caught a glimpse of his watch, “But I think we’re going to be late.”

“We can always say class ran long,” L figured, “You didn’t tell your father you had an exam today, did you?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “I haven’t really had much time to sit and talk with him lately. All of my free time seems to be taken by someone else. And by the sounds of it, you really have an excuse for all occasions.”

“He does,” L confirmed, “He really does. That’s never a bad thing.”

“It has to be exhausting,” Light thought, “Living in your head.”

“It is,” L sighed out, knowing exactly the innerworkings of his mind, “It can be its own hell sometimes, but trust me. It’s incredibly draining. Especially when it doesn’t let me get sleep.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Light winced. _No wonder he jacks himself up on sugar all the time._

“Hey, Light…” L twiddled his thumbs, “Speaking of your free time…Do you have any plans for this weekend?”

“I don’t know,” Light shrugged, hiding a hint of a smile on his face, “What are we doing?”

L bit the inside of his cheek, doing his best to conceal the internal squealing going on in his head. _We. I like that. We,_ “I was thinking of a trip. Nowhere overly far. Just somewhere to lay low.”

“Did you have anywhere in mind?” Light wondered.

“I was kind of thinking of where we were last night,” L went on, “They have hotels there, too, don’t they?”

“They have full on resorts,” Light told him, “You really want us to go to Odaiba?”

“If it’s not too much trouble for you,” L held onto Light’s hand, “Please?”

Light was torn. On one hand, his dream still lingered in his mind. But the thought of some R&R in Odaiba sounded heavenly. _With L, though…? What could possibly go wrong? It’s not like he’s going to act on his dirty dream. However, I wonder if he’s thinking about acting on mine,_ “Could I have a few demands?”

“Of course,” L nodded, “I insist. What is it?”

“We have separate rooms,” Light drew his line in the sand, “And as far as anyone knows, this is a business trip.”

“On the surface?” L thought it over, “Sure. We can call it a business trip. But what we call it when it’s just the two of us is our own business. And I suppose I can bend a little on us having separate rooms. But an adjoining suite.”

“Fine,” Light agreed, “I can do that.”

“Wonderful,” L smiled a bit, “I’ll leave you to figure out specifics. You pick our hotel. You plan the trip. As long as you make it for this weekend.”

“Ok,” Light relaxed, having a little bit of control. 

“And since I’m the one inviting you,” L slapped his black card on the table, “Take this. I’m sure it’ll cover anything. You have no limits and I have no specifications other than the ones I’ve already given you.”

“Why am I the one planning it?” Light wondered.

“Because,” L pointed out, “You’re still my assistant, Light. That is your job. It is what I pay you for.”

“You still don’t pay me,” Light ordered, “My tuition has been my payment.”

“Yes, I do,” L hushed him, “Don’t give me that. Light, you still work for me. It’d be wrong if I didn’t compensate you properly.”

“As you have all intentions of taking me to Odaiba for the weekend.”

“That’s right,” L confirmed, “What about it?”

Ring, ring.

“You or me?” Light asked.

“That’s me,” L answered his phone, “Yes?”

“Where are you?” Watari barked, “They’re getting anxious.”

“I’m on my way,” L grumbled. _So much for this._

“See you soon.”

Click.

“Is everything ok?” Light worried.

“Everything’s fine,” L got up from his chair, “It’s the task force. They’ve probably been waiting on me for the last half hour.”

“I told you,” Light jabbed, “We should’ve left earlier.”

“Hindsight’s 20-20,” L shrugged him off, “Come on. We need to be getting back.”

“Ok,” Light followed L out to the car and the two of them headed back to Omotesando. As much as Light loathed going to Omotesando, he was starting to come around. It got a little easier with each time. _I wonder why that could be._ Until he looked over at L, who watched the world go by from the window. Light held back a smile. _Oh._

When they pulled up to the hotel, L grabbed Light’s hand just before Light could get out. Light took it as a sign to help him out of the car. However, L pulled him back in, catching Light by surprise, “Is everything ok, L?”

“It’s fine,” L promised, “But we’re going to go in separately. You first.”

“Why?” Light wondered.

“It’ll lessen any suspicion,” L explained, “If we go in together, they’ll know we were together. I’m pretty sure you said something about things staying between us.”

“Ok,” Light agreed. _How considerate,_ “So, how much longer are you going to be?”

“The driver’s going to take me around the block,” L told him, “Then, I should be up shortly. We never saw each other. Understand?”

“Got it,” Light started getting back out of the car. Only for L to pull him back in, “What now?”

L pulled Light in a little closer, making sure the screen between the backseat and the front seat was up. A soft kiss was shared between them, “I can’t wait for this weekend.”

“Yeah…” Light blushed a bit. _Me either. Just another couple days,_ “But I can’t go plan it if you keep me back here.”

“You’re right,” L let him go, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Ok,” Light finally got out of the car and started walking inside. Once those elevator doors closed, he couldn’t help but smile. _I had nothing to worry about. He really is a mystery. I don’t even know what his real name is._ But then, an idea struck. Light still had L’s black card in his pocket. _His name has to be on that._ However, when Light looked it over, he couldn’t see one. _How in the hell…?_ Light shook it off and was sufficiently mellowed out enough to deal with the task force.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Light came in, the entire task force twiddling their thumbs in the living room, “Class ran a little long.”

“You’re not the only one,” Aizawa grumbled under his breath.

“Wait,” Light took a good look around, playing off his ignorance beautifully, “Is L not here either?”

“Not yet,” Soichiro told him, “According to Watari, he should be here anytime now.”

“Light…” Speaking of Watari, he stood near L’s bedroom, “Could I trouble you for a moment please? In private?”

“Sure,” Light wasn’t going to say no, “And it’s really no trouble.”

“Thank you,” Watari and Light secluded themselves from the listening ears of the task force, “He was with you, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Light confirmed. _It’s Watari. L said that there was no one else in this world he trusted more. So, I’m sure telling him about L’s whereabouts isn’t totally out of the question._

“Good,” Watari sighed out, “He worries me. I know he doesn’t seem it. Mostly because he doesn’t let anyone get close enough to get a good enough look. But he’s delicate, Light. Incredibly delicate. If you’re to continue working for him any further, I’d like for you to keep that in mind. Please. For his sake.”

_Watari knows…Of course he does. L’s number one most trusted. There’s no way he doesn’t. I’m sure Watari knows things that L doesn’t know he knows. But he’s also probably a wealth of information when it comes to L._ Light wasn’t going to take advantage of their situation. Not at the moment anyway, “I will.”

“Thank you,” Watari breathed a little easier. 

Only for the door to open in the next breath, “Forgive me, gentlemen. A prior engagement of the utmost importance kept me.”


	15. Surprises and Possible Murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. I forgot to drop this to the Castlevania fic yesterday, but they’re done and over with now, so they’ll have to find out somewhere else. But anyway! In case you have nothing better to do on Friday night (time still undetermined), I’ve been going live on Instagram for the last couple weeks. The streams are chaotic, but they’re a hell of a lot of fun, so if you don’t want me talking to myself and have some time to kill, just go ahead and stop on by, say hi, give me a wave. It’s mostly just me talking for now, but I’m sure they’ll evolve from there. But my Instagram handle is @LumiOlivier. You are more than welcome to come by and see my mediocre little face. But for the most part, how are we? Doing alright? Golly, I hope so. Because this chapter is either going to amuse most of you or piss off a lot of you. Or, if I did my job right, both. Go on. I’ll see you next week. x

“Took you long enough.” Aizawa never was L’s biggest fan. And he wasn’t exactly shy about the fact. But he also understood that L was the best of the best. An unfortunate means to an end. And as long as he brought them the end, he could tolerate L. In small doses.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Aizawa,” L climbed over the back of his chair and sat down, “Certain things take precedence. This was simply one of those things.”

Light could feel his heart melt. Just a little. However, his good feeling was short lived. Aizawa grumbled under his breath, “And you questioned _our_ commitment.”

Of course, L couldn’t let that go. His blood was set at a low simmer, “Excuse me?”

“You’ve been questioning our loyalty and our commitment to this case since we stepped through the door,” Aizawa growled, already spiraling into full rage, “And yet, you come in late and it’s completely ok.”

“Aizawa…” Soichiro tried to step in and settle him before he could go into a full blown meltdown.

“No, sir,” Aizawa’s tirade continued, “It’s true! And we’ve been coddling him about it! Every time any of us have a little slip up, Ryuzaki’s down our throats, but he waltzes in late on an almost regular basis and we’re supposed to just let that go?”

“Mr. Aizawa…” L found his balance, keeping his voice calm, despite the storm that calm was hiding, “Don’t ever question my commitment to this case again. And I never said you weren’t welcome to leave at any time. However, know that if you do leave, don’t think I’ll be as welcoming if you ever wanted to come back.”

Aizawa knew he was at a stalemate. He needed his job to support his wife and daughter, but if that meant dealing with someone like L, he wasn’t sure how long he could continue putting up with it. Aizawa slumped down on his spot on the couch, “I just want this case over with.”

“Yet we’re wasting time with petty squabbling,” L pointed out. Before Aizawa’s blood pressure could go up any higher than it already was, L continued on, “Just so it’s no surprise to any of you, no one is going to be able to get a hold of me personally from the time we leave here on Friday until we return on Monday.”

“Where will you be?” Matsuda wondered, just as curious as the rest of them.

“I have a business trip I need to make,” L watched Light out of the corner of his eye as he sat at his laptop, planning said business trip. The little smile on Light’s face was enough to put L at ease after his confrontation with Aizawa, “It’s incredibly important.”

“What’s it for?” Mogi asked while Aizawa pouted next to him, still fuming from the argument.

“It’s personal business,” L kept a tight lip about it, “Something I need to do. But speaking of that business trip…Light?”

“Yes?” Light immediately perked up. His punctuality put a little extra spring in L’s step.

L quickly scribbled down an address on one of the notepads always within his reach, “I need you to go here sometime today. Preferably now, though.”

“Ok,” Light read the paper. _This is…Just down the block,_ “Why?”

“Because I asked you nicely,” L insisted, handing over his black card, “Here. Go play with this.”

“Um…” Light wasn’t sure how to feel about L being so…liberal with his finances, “Ok.”

“Is there something wrong, Light?” L wondered so innocently.

“No,” Light shook it off, “It’s not that…It’s just…”

“You should be gone a couple hours,” L thought it over, “Three at the very most. Then, you’ll have all the time in the world to finish what I asked you.”

“Ok…” Light let it go. _Weird…One would think I’d learn by now. L and convention don’t exactly exist well together._ Still, Light wasn’t completely sure what waited for him at the address L gave him, but he gave L a little nod, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Go on,” L watched Light leave out of the corner of his eye, admiring the peripheral view. _Mmm…Yes…Watari’s pictures cannot do that justice. Soon. Soon enough._ L suppressed the smile so desperately wanting to stretch across his face and got his head back in the game. 

Meanwhile, Light started heading down the street to the location L gave him. It wouldn’t take him long, since it wasn’t too terribly far from the hotel. When Light got to the building, he stood outside, staring up in confusion. _Holistic wellness clinic…? Hold on…I’ve been here before. It’s been a while, but I’ve been here before._ In his previous relationship, Light was no stranger to Omotesando. Especially because of her. _Anytime she didn’t have one of her girlfriends to come here with, she’d always take me instead. And that was more often than not. Honestly, it was one of those things that made the relationship worth hanging onto._

Light would never admit it to anyone, not even to himself. He loved nothing more than being lavishly pampered. _She got me hooked. Damn her._ Unfortunately, he hadn’t gotten any of it since their breakup. And he missed it terribly. He walked in the front door and didn’t recognize the woman behind the counter. _She’s new. She has to be._ Light had been in there enough times to the point where he was nearly on a first name basis with a good majority of the staff. 

“Hi,” her voice was sweet. Almost too uppity for Light’s taste, but hopefully, he wouldn’t have to deal with her long, “Can I help you?”

L didn’t exactly tell Light what he would be doing here. _Maybe this is like the candy shop all over again. Maybe that’ll work. It’s worth a shot._ Light pulled himself together, “I’m…here for Mr. Ryuzaki?”

“Yes, Mr. Yagami,” she smiled, checking her computer, “We’ve been expecting you. If you would, come with me please.”

“Sure,” Light followed her, “Um…Do you know what this is for?”

“Mr. Ryuzaki said that he was taking someone special away for the weekend,” she explained, “He must _love_ you.”

“Um…” Light instantly turned red, “Yeah…Unless he has someone else coming with us, I think I might be that someone.”

“Lucky you,” she awed, “Where are you going? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Odaiba,” Light told her. _What’s the harm? I’m sure it’s going in one ear and out the other anyway. People don’t make small talk for the sake of it sticking,_ “I need to get back to planning it as soon as I can.”

“Well,” the woman checked her clipboard, “You are going to be here for a while. Four different procedures? I hope this weekend goes well for you both.”

“What?” Light looked at her strange. _What the hell does L have me here for?_

“According to your appointment card,” she explained, bringing Light into a room he had seen dozens of times over, “You’re down for a manicure, a pedicure, a massage, and a full colonic. At least, that’s what Mr. Ryuzaki said.”

“Oh. Ok.” _Huh…Maybe this really is with completely innocent connotations. I have been busting my ass lately for the sake of dealing with L. Is this his way of saying thank you? Because if it is, then what would be the point of this weekend? Or is this for something else?_ Light had sudden flashbacks to his misery from earlier in the day. _Is…he trying to make me feel better?_ Either way, it melted Light’s heart just a little bit.

He sat in the overly plush chair and watched the lovely young lady at his feet. _I forgot how much I liked this._ Light shut his eyes, taking in every sensation. Only to start getting worse flashbacks of his past. _All of my friends are working today! It’s like I’m the only one that can get a day off. Please, Light? Please, please, please?_ The mere thought made Light gag. But then, he remembered exactly what he was doing there. And L’s words ran through his head louder than hers could ever be. _A prior engagement of the utmost importance came up._ Light turned into mush. _I wonder what that prior engagement could’ve been. As if I didn’t already know._

_Maybe he really does love me. If he does already…Why? Not that I’m not starting to feel something for him. I’m not sure if it’s quite love yet, but it’s definitely something. But on that same token…Why is he getting so attached so quickly? And how is he doing it? And if he is, how long is it going to last?_ The thought made Light uneasy. But he shook it off. To the best of his ability anyway. _What am I talking about? There has to be something keeping him around. I just wish I knew what it was._

A little while later, L sat in his hotel room while the task force continued to piece the case in front of them out. However, L had other things on his mind. His weekend plans with Light lay prominent on his mind. Their return to Odaiba excited and horrified him all the same. _Watari’s right. I can’t scare him off. Although, I’m impressed he accepted my invitation. I knew it wasn’t going to come easily, but separate rooms in the same suite is better than nothing. We’ll be fine, the two of us. At least I hope so._

Lost in his daydream, L stared out the window, looking into a building across the street. Along with a familiar face in an unfortunate and compromising position. It put a sadistic little smile on L’s face. _Oh, he’s going to kill me when he comes back. Maybe I should’ve explained what he was going there for beforehand. No…Light strikes me as the type to appreciate a good surprise. Even though a colonic may not be the best kind. Still, a necessary evil. Especially if this weekend goes as well as I hope it will._

“Ryuzaki…” Soichiro called out to him, confused about the devilish smirk on his face, “Ryuzaki…Ryuzaki!”

“Hmm?” L snapped out of his daydreams of what awaits him in a couple short days. 

“You’re smiling…” Soichiro pointed out, “As we’re discussing a murder investigation. Forgive me, but that doesn’t come across as a bit…disturbing?”

“Creepy as hell, if you ask me,” Aizawa grumbled.

“I’m sorry,” L pulled himself together, “Am I supposed to not ever be in a good mood?”

“What is it?” Soichiro wondered, “Did you find something?”

“No,” L shook his head. _Some of the faces that your son makes amuse me. Hopefully, I’ll be seeing a whole new spectrum of them come Saturday night. He is definitely going to kill me. Light is going to kill me when he comes back. I can feel it in the air,_ “It’s nothing. Just a nice thought that popped into my head.”

“Oh,” Soichiro let it go.

“What was it?” Matsuda asked, his eyes full of sparkle and wonder and curiosity.

“Matsuda,” Soichiro shot him down, “We need to focus. We do still have a case to work on. You can ask him later.”

“Ok, Chief…” Matsuda stared down at his feet.

“No, he can’t,” L clarified, “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Mr. Matsuda. If it was, I would’ve said something already.”

That’s when L’s mind started to drift even more. _It’s not like I don’t already have this case nearly solved. They just need to come to the conclusion on their own, so they feel like they did something. We’ll compare answers later. But for now, I just want Friday to get here already. Soon, Light. As long as he can forgive me for today. I’m sure the first part of it wasn’t bad. It’s just the last part that has me concerned._ L dropped it and his mind went back to earlier in the day. _You had a hard day, Light. You only needed to go through one more hard thing. For me. I know you can._

Then, the front door was thrown open. Light stormed in, out of breath, with a bitter look on his face. And a limp in his step. Immediately, his father’s radar went up, “Light? Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?”

“I tripped coming up the stairs,” Light growled, shooting an angry glare at L, “Can I speak with you? _Privately?_ ”

The acidity in Light’s voice sent L into a slight panic. But nothing he didn’t already see coming, “Of course, Light. Is everything ok?”

“ _Peachy…_ ” Light grabbed L by the wrist and started dragging him off to the bedroom. Ordinarily, this would’ve put L in a wonderful place. Although, he knew what Light wanted to see him about. And his good feeling went away.

_I thought so._


	16. Revenge Plots and Prying Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. So…How about that chapter last week? Look, in the next few weeks, we’re going to get some explanation for why L is like this. Maybe Light will empathize. Maybe Light will kick his ass to the curb. We may never know. Well…I know. But that’s here nor there. Now, I’m going to let you indulge yourselves in some explanations. But before we do that…
> 
> I’m going live on Instagram this Friday night. I’m thinking this is going to be a regular thing, so if you’re reading this in the future, first of all, holy shit…Flattered. Happy to have you. No such thing as showing up too late to this party. Drinks are still in the back. There are juiceboxes in the fridge if booze isn’t your thing (or if you’re a fetal child. But if you’re a fetal child and you’re reading this…Oh, do I have a strongly worded email going to your parents…No. I wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t rat you out. I’m no narc.). But livestream. I’m going to be doing a reading of an unpublished Hetalia project (I know. Trash.) that you will not be able to find anywhere on the internet. I’ll be going live around 9PM US Central time, but if you want to see the pregaming and the prior chaos before I start, I’ll probably hit the live button around 8:30 or so. My IG handle is LumiOlivier. You’re more than welcome to come hang out. If you’re looking for a spastic, high energy stream, look elsewhere. This is just a chill stream where we can all hang out, throw a couple back, and have ourselves a nice, relaxing time. Now, I’m going to shut up and let you hit this week’s chapter, K? Love you x

L knew what was coming. He knew exactly what was coming. Suddenly, his sadistic feeling from earlier had left. And the angry glare coming from Light only solidified that. The two of them sat on opposite sides of the bed. And the quiet started to consume them. It was only a matter of time before one of them finally spoke up. Since Light was too busy seething with pure, white hot rage, that burden fell on L’s shoulders.

“Something on your mind, Light?”

Light kept it inside. That homicidal rage that bubbled up in him. The sudden urge to wrap his hands around L’s throat and shake him until his eyes rolled back in his head or his neck snapped. Whichever one came first, “I’m not happy, L.”

“Why’s that?” L played dumb, already having a feeling about the answer.

“You know damn well why!” Light snapped, still managing to keep his voice down. The last thing he wanted the task force to hear was what just happened to him.

“No,” L remained calm, “Why don’t you walk me through it?”

“I was having a nice day,” Light began, his tone taking on a fake cheeriness, “I mean, the way the day started was kind of…a mess, to say the least. But as it went on, it got better. Then, I came here. You told me to go to the day spa down the street. Across the street, in fact! I know you probably didn’t know this, but I used to go there with my ex-girlfriend all the time. Not that it dredged up painful memories or anything. Our time there was always pleasant. We’d be separated for the most part, but all that aside, things would be great. I nearly fell asleep twice in the middle of a massage. And once in the middle of a pedicure. They know what they’re doing and I had a stressful morning. Having a moment to relax was kind of nice. But then…Then, it took the strangest turn.”

“Did it?” _I know. I saw the whole thing._

“It did,” Light went on, still fuming, “A pretty girl took me into a room, just the two of us. And that’s when it got weird. You know, I wasn’t totally sure what a colonic was until today. I learned pretty fucking quick.”

“It could’ve been worse,” L shrugged. _Be glad I didn’t add bleaching to that list. I could have. They offer it. But I wasn’t going to be that rough with you, Light. Not like that._

“What was the purpose of me getting that today?” Light growled.

“You think _I’m_ bottoming?” L looked at Light like he was on drugs, “Oh, no, no, no. Not happening.”

“Who said anything about sex?” Light’s squeak was barely above audible. Perhaps the dogs down the block could hear it.

“I like to be prepared,” L brushed him off, “Which means you need to be prepared, too. I’m sorry for springing it on you, Light, but it needed to be done. Now, go on. You have work to do.”

Light still had the occasional homicidal thought cross into his head, but after a few minutes at his laptop, he started to calm down. _I need to get him back for that. Somehow. Granted, I don’t think I can do anything that has the staying power as the shit he pulled on me today, but I’ll find a way. Honestly…It wasn’t all that bad._ He did feel considerably better once he left. Although it’d be a while before Light would ever willingly do it again, he wasn’t completely taking it off the table. 

Then, his opportunity for vengeance arose. He had complete control over his trip with L to Odaiba. As he started looking for hotels, Light clicked the ‘arrange by price’ button. _I’m sure L would want the ritziest place I can find._ The fact that Light happened to benefit from it definitely played a part. If he was being honest. Fortunately, a five-star hotel had empty adjoining rooms. _Just as L asked._ Light took a quick virtual tour of their suite. Two bedrooms. A spacious bathroom. A kitchenette. It wasn’t much different from L’s suite in Omotesando. But the views…The views had him sold.

Light pulled out L’s black card and started checking out. _We’re only going to be gone the weekend. It’s not like we could go for much longer._ The special instructions put wicked ideas in Light’s head. _Vengeance will be sweet._ Despite having been through…the gambit today, Light knew better. His vengeance would come soon, but he needed to add a few good things into it, too. _He can have the asme false sense of security I got._ As much as Light wanted to let his own sadism take over completely, Watari’s words came back to haunt him. And his conscience took over instead. _I may be pissed at the guy, but…_ Light started writing out the special instructions.

Chocolate covered strawberries delivered upon arrival. Condoms and personal lubricant in the nightstand drawers. Handcuffs hanging on the bedpost. Fully stocked minibar. Light read over his good work, beyond pleased with himself. _If he wanted to make it weird, I can make it weird._ However, Light’s knowledge of kink was limited. It’s not like he intended on using any of that. With the exception of the strawberries. No one can turn down chocolate covered strawberries when presented with them. _L wanted to play dirty. He’s not the only one who can be petty._

Light booked their room and closed his laptop. He walked over to the task force in the living room and handed L back his black card, “The room’s all booked.”

“No, no,” L pushed it back, “You hold onto that.”

“To say that minor gesture caused a little stir among the task force would be a gross understatement. Even Light didn’t know what to say, “Are you sure?”

  
“For now, yes,” L nodded, “I trust you with my money. It’s in safe hands.”

“Ok,” Light put L’s black card in his pocket with all intentions of putting it in his wallet later, “Do you need anything else?”

“Not that I can think of,” L racked his brain. _I’m surprised you didn’t fight me, Light. Very good,_ “Go on. If you’d like, you can go home for the day.”

“Ok,” Light grabbed his laptop off the counter.

“Thank you, Light,” L held back a smile, “For everything you’ve done today.”

_You’re damn right, thank you._ Light shook off his bitterness enough to put on a little smile himself, “Sure. No problem. See you tomorrow.”

And just like that, Light turned on his heel and headed to the elevator. He held L’s black card in his hands, still unable to wrap his head around the fact that L let him keep it. It practically burned. _Why would he want me to have this? Is it a test? Is it him seeing if I’ll use it or not?_ The endless possibilities rattled around Light’s brain for another minute or two until he finally achieved some clarity. _He knows he’s going to see me tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll just get it then. But if that’s the case, then he could’ve just taken it when I gave it to him. It’s a test. It has to be. Now, all I have to figure out is what his desired result could possibly be. Most people would say to not spend any of his money, but L is a different creature than what most would consider normal. That’s for damn sure._

Light put it in his wallet and forgot it even existed. It was bad enough that he still had his watch and his college education to thank L for. Along with a mostly peaceful and pleasant afternoon and (hopefully) an even more pleasant weekend. That had yet to be seen, but Light remained optimistic. Once he got home, he went straight to his bedroom and started packing. _Hard to believe we’re leaving tomorrow already. It seems like yesterday we went to Odaiba in the first place. Wait…Was it yesterday?_

Then, a precocious pair of eyes peeked around Light’s bedroom door, “What are you doing?”

“Hi, Sayu,” Light let her in, “Packing. Why?”

“Just curious,” Sayu took a seat on the edge of her brother’s bed, “What are you packing for? Are you moving out again already?”

“No,” he let that one go, “I’m taking a trip out of town this weekend and I’m leaving after work tomorrow.”

“Neat,” she chirped, “What’s the trip for?”

“It’s…” Light hesitated for a brief moment, memories from earlier making his stomach turn, “It’s a business trip.”

“A business trip, huh?” Sayu stretched out on the bed, “What kind of business?”

“None of yours!” he squeaked, continuing to dig in his closet.

“Light…” she knew. Of course, Sayu knew. No one in this world could read Light like a book better than Sayu. L could pretend he could, but he was no Sayu. Sayu could tell everything and anything about Light just by looking at him, “Something seems different about you.”

“I don’t know what,” Light brushed her off. He knew he couldn’t back out now, so he gave up on his packing crusade for the time being and joined Sayu on the bed.

“There’s something different,” Sayu scanned him over, “You seem…I don’t know…Shinier.”

“What’s that even mean?” _Is now a bad time to get her tested? Because I think Sayu may be on drugs._

“You seem shinier,” her eyes stopped at his hands, “You got a manicure today.”

“No, I didn’t,” Light automatically shot her down, his hands going back in his pockets. _Damn, she’s good._

“You totally did!” Sayu grabbed his wrist, looking over the damage done, “Your hands did not look like this unless you and…”

“Sayu,” he snapped, not even wanting to hear her name.

“Alright,” she backed off. _I should’ve known better than to bring her up,_ “But this? This does not look like an unmanicured hand, Light.”

“So?” Light took his hand back, “So what if I did? What’s that got to do with anything?”

“What’s the occasion?” Sayu wondered, “Hot date?”

“No!” he groaned, “It’s nothing! Just one of those things that needed to get done.”

“Light,” she saw right through him. Instead of being pushy, Sayu was gentle with him, “You know you can tell me anything. I don’t judge and I don’t gossip. You don’t have to keep anything from me.”

“Well…” Light knew he could trust his sister. She knew things that no one else did and made sure they stayed that way. Besides, it wouldn’t kill him to vent, “That business trip I told you about?”

“Yeah…?” Sayu perked up, listening intently. _I knew it._

“It’s still a business trip,” he prefaced, “But…I’m going on a trip with L this weekend.”

“Your boss?” she remembered.

“No,” Light rolled his eyes, “The other L in my life.”

“Alright!” Sayu threw her hands up, “Someone put the sass hat on today.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed out, “It’s been a long day. But yeah. That L. And we’ll be gone the whole weekend.”

“And?” she asked, “How are we feeling about that?”

“Fine.”

“Really?” Sayu stared blankly at her brother, “You really expect me to believe that? Because you don’t seem fine.”

“About the trip,” Light clarified, “I’m good. I’m alright with that. Preparing for it, on the other hand…Let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant and leave it at that and never bring it up in conversation again.”

“Alright,” she swore, “Consider my lips sealed. Seriously, Light, what crawled up your butt today?”

“SAYU!” Light turned bright red. Both his cheeks and his eyes. _I can’t kill her. I’m not killing my sister today. She doesn’t know what L put me through today. She just happened to have a bad sense of phrasing today._

“Ok!” Sayu backed off before Light had a chance to punch her, “If you need any help with packing…”

“You’re right next door,” Light nodded, “Yeah. Got it, Sayu.”

“Good talk.”

Sayu went back into her room while Light pondered his life choices. _She’s the best I got. It’s not like I can vent this shit to L yet. It’s way too soon for something like that and he’s already on my shit list for the day. Besides, it might be a good idea to get an outsider’s perspective on it._ Light swallowed his pride and pulled himself together, sticking his head in his sister’s bedroom door, “Hey, Sayu…?”

“Yeah?” Sayu threw herself onto her bed, reaching for her phone charger.

Light knew what he had to do. That didn’t mean he wanted to do it. He took in one good, deep breath, “Can you keep a secret?”


	17. Black Cards and Better Perspectives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. Oh, how I missed you so. How are we doing? Well? Yes? No? Well, whatever it is you’re feeling, I bet I know a good way to make it even better. How about a new chapter? Sound good to you?
> 
> And…You know…Again, if you’re not doing anything Friday night, it’d be cool if you came and hung out with me on my livestream. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go chase after an old, decrepit dog and a spastic little boy. K, love you. x

“Secret?” Sayu knew secrets didn’t come from her brother often, but when they did, they were always worth listening to. And she could hardly wait, “What kind of secret? Like…A surprise party kind of secret or…like a Mikami secret?”

“I don’t know if I could put it under a surprise party,” Light thought it over, “But I don’t think I could put it in the same category as Mikami.”

“Well?” she waited with bated breath, “What’s up?”

Light came clean, “I snuck out last night.”

“I knew I wasn’t hearing things!” Sayu squeaked, ready to come out of her skin, “Look at you, turning into a rebel. Where did you go?”

“I don’t know if I’d call it rebellion,” he chuckled a bit, “I went to get tea with my boss.”

“Oh,” she grumbled, not as impressed. Although, with a moment of thought, Sayu perked up again, “Oh?”

“It was just tea,” Light settled her, “But then, we took off for Odaiba.”

“Odaiba?” Sayu looked at him strange, “Why, of all places you could’ve gone, would you go to Odaiba?”

“He was feeling homesick,” he explained, pulling up a picture on his phone of the London Eye, “That’s what he’s used to. And apparently, he finds comfort in high places. He’s like a damn cat. I swear…But we’re going back this weekend.”

“So, that’s the secret,” she figured it out, “That’s the business trip.”

“But,” Light went on, “I think our idea of business is different. He told me he needed to turn off for a while. Just to get his head right again. And he wanted to do that with me.”

“That’s so sweet,” Sayu awed, “And you’re sure he’s your _boss_? And _not_ like Mikami?”

“He’s nothing like Mikami,” he swore, “Trust me. L couldn’t be Mikami if he wanted to. But it’s not just that. He told me to hold onto this.”

Light pulled out his wallet and showed off the black piece of plastic L gave him. Sayu looked it over, her eyes growing wider, “Is this what I think it is? Because if it is, this looks like dangerous fun.”

“It’s his black card,” Light confirmed, “It’s not the first time I’ve had his black card, but the last time I gave it back to him, he didn’t tell me to keep it. This time, I was booking the hotel for the weekend and he said to hold onto it.”

“So?” Sayu wondered, “What do you plan on doing with it? Because that could cause some damage.”

With that one little question, Sayu didn’t know it, but she opened a door in Light’s head that he previously had an industrial lock on. _L told me he wanted to treat me right. And after the afternoon I’ve had, I deserve a little treating, don’t I?_ Light got up from Sayu’s bed, “You’re right. It could. Come on. I got an idea.”

“What?” she stumbled behind him, “Light, where are we going?”

“You hungry?” Light asked already back to his bedroom.

“A little, yeah,” Sayu nodded, “Why?”

“Go change out of your uniform,” he ordered, “I’ll take you somewhere nice tonight.”

“Aww, Light,” she wrapped herself around her brother’s arm, “You know, you spoil me.”

“It’s not that I spoil you, Sayu,” Light looked in his closet, “It’s that I just happen to have L’s black card and an affinity for vengeance. Go on.”

“Ok,” Sayu skipped back to her room in search of something other than her uniform, “Hey, Light?”

“Yeah?” Meanwhile, Light pulled something out from the back of his closet. From a time in his life he liked (and, let’s be honest, loathed) to refer to as the before times.

“Are we going somewhere, like, incredibly nice?” she wondered.

“I’m not sure where we’re going,” he shrugged, “But know that we’ll eat like kinds.”

“Somewhere nice, it is, then!” Sayu was just excited to have a fancy meal in her stomach. She wasn’t going to complain. As she went through her closet, a few things stood out to her, but then, a thought popped into her head, “Hey, Light?”

“What now?” Light groaned. _I may be regretting this already. No. If there’s anyone that can and will gladly put a dent in L’s bank account with this night, it’d be Sayu. Well…With that one excluded._

“Should we match?” she asked, curious about which dress to take. _Hmm…The black one? Never can go wrong with black. But that blue one…I like that one, too._

“I’m just taking you for dinner, Sayu,” he shook her head, holding back the smile on his face. _She’s hopeless. But who am I to judge?_

“And I’m milking it for all it’s worth!” Sayu whined. _Blue one. Definitely the blue one,_ “So, matching or not?”

_L…Owes me,_ “I don’t care, Sayu. Just hurry up.”

“These things take time!” Then, something different caught Sayu’s eye. Something from the back of her closet. _Huh…The yellow one. I like the yellow one better._ She pulled the yellow dress out of her closet and started getting dressed, “Like I said, I’m milking this for all it’s worth. After hearing you go on about this guy for the last couple weeks, I need to see what the spending limits of his black card are like.”

_I couldn’t have picked anyone better._ Light checked himself in the mirror, appreciating the dark suit that almost didn’t fit him quite right anymore. But for his intentions, it’d be fine, “Alright. Whenever you’re ready, we can leave.”

“Ok!” Sayu slipped into the bathroom and did a little fiddling with her hair and her face. _Light did say somewhere nice. And I’m sure if we’re going somewhere nice, we’ll probably be…Couldn’t hurt to ask,_ “Hey, Light?”

“What, Sayu?” Light scrolled aimlessly through his phone.

“Are we going to Omotesando tonight?” she wondered, holding a couple bobby pins in her teeth.

“No,” he shot that down _instantly,_ “We’re staying away from Omotesando.”

_Shibuya, it is, I guess._ Sayu let out a disappointed sigh. _He said we were going somewhere nice and I could’ve sworn he’d want somewhere expensive. So much for being overly spoiled tonight,_ “So, the regular sushi place, I’m assuming?”

“Actually,” Light thought it over a little more. _If I’m going to hit it, I might as well hit it hard_ , “How about kobe beef in Ginza?”

“You’re taking me to Ginza?!” her heart stopped. _I knew he was spoiling me tonight, but DAMN!_

“Yeah,” he brushed her off, “Why not?”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Sayu pulled herself together and went back to Light’s room.

“Not lately,” Light giggled a little, “You look cute, Sayu.”

“Thank you,” she did a little spin on her toes, getting a better look at her brother, “So do you. Where the hell did that come from?”

“Her.” He was blunt.

“Oh…” Sayu bit her tongue. _Well…We are going to Ginza,_ “Yikes. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Light still had a little smile on his face as he took his sister’s hand, “You ready?”

“Yeah!” she cheered up quickly.

And just like that, Light and Sayu ran downstairs only to be stopped by their mother walking in at the front door, “Oh. Hi, Mom.”

“Hello,” Sachiko looked both her children over, “You two seem to be in a rush. Where are you going?”

“Light’s taking me to dinner,” Sayu chirped.

“That’s sweet of you, Light,” Sachiko approved.

“Yeah,” Light fiddled with his watch, “The first paycheck came in. And Sayu deserves it.”

“Aww,” Sayu gushed, “Light…”

“Ok,” Sachiko let them go, “You two have fun and be careful.”

“We will,” Light promised, leading Sayu out the door.

“So,” Sayu skipped down the front steps, “What should we do after dinner? Since we’re kind of running on unlimited funds here, I think we should…”

“Go directly home,” Light put his foot down, “We’re not running on quite unlimited funds. We’re just running on someone else’s money. And you still have school in the morning.”

“Boo,” she pouted, “Way to take the fun out of it, Light. Buzzkill.”

“Tell you what,” he bargained, heading toward the train station, “Instead of us going out after dinner, how about I tell you everything?”

“Everything?” Sayu perked up, “What kind of everything?”

“Everything,” Light promised, “I could use a good venting and…well…Who better than you?”

“Yay!” Sayu’s excitement was infectious. Despite knowing the kind of death warrant Light just signed, he couldn’t help but be a little excited, too. Especially if it meant tapping the infinite well of L’s bank account.

After a quick train ride, Light brought Sayu to one of the many classy restaurants Ginza had to offer. He truly did have all intentions of spoiling her that night. After everything Sayu has done for him, after every secret she’s kept, Light owed her. Many opportunities had come up for Sayu to spill every last thing she had on Light, but it never came out. She knew better. It took a lot of intestinal fortitude for Light to come to her in the first place. Never would Sayu break that trust.

When they walked into the restaurant, Sayu held Light’s hand, unable to see much in front of them. _Did they forget to pay their light bills? Seriously, why is it the fancier the restaurant, the dimmer the lights?_ She shook it off as they arrived at their table, “You weren’t joking, Light.”

“What?” Light wondered, already opening his menu.

“When you said you were spoiling me tonight,” Sayu’s eyes grew wide at the prices, “One meal here could pay someone’s rent!”

“I told you,” he smiled, the weight of L’s black card sitting comfortably in Light’s back pocket, “Tonight, we feast like kings. If it makes you feel any better, the next time you see L, you can thank him.”

“Thanks, L,” she giggled under her breath.

“Excuse me,” Light flagged down a waiter, “Can I get a bottle of merlot please?”

“Yes, sir,” he bowed and ran off for Light’s wine.

Sayu stared her brother down from across the table, waiting for him to say something, anything. It got to the point where Light tried his best to ignore it, but unfortunately, Sayu had a presence, “Sayu…I love you, but you’re starting to creep me out.”

“I believe there was a promise made, Light,” she reminded him, “When we were on our way to the train station. You promised me you’d tell me everything. I need to know what’s going on in your life. In a way, I kind of vicariously live through you. But it’s not just that. You’re a fascinating study in human tragedy.”

Light looked her over with a hint of skepticism…and a lot of concern. _Oh, Sayu, you really need a better hobby,_ “You really want to know?”

“Yes, please.”

“Fine.” _She’s lucky I need to vent,_ “Where to start…”

“Start from the beginning,” Sayu insisted, “That’s probably the easiest.”

“Since you asked so nicely,” Light took in a deep breath, fully prepared to unload everything heavy on his soul, “My boss has a thing for me. Like…A really big thing for me. This isn’t a business trip. It’s a total pleasure trip. Maybe even too much pleasure. He wants to take me away for the weekend. Things are starting to get a little out of hand…A lot out of hand…And I’m not sure where to begin to clean up the mess. Or even stop it altogether.”

Sayu sat back, blinking a couple times in disbelief, “Wow…There is quite a lot to unpack there. First of all, I told you so.”

“Still not dates, Sayu,” Light rolled his eyes while the waiter returned with his wine. _Thank God, a buzz,_ “No matter how badly you both seem to think so.”

“Alright, alright,” she backed off, “Look, Light, when you say it’s getting out of hand…”

“Not to overshare or anything,” he came clean, keeping his voice down, “Along with the manicure, he sprung a colonic on me, too. You know what that is, don’t you?”

“Wait,” Sayu thought it over, “Isn’t that like an enema, but a million times more powerful?”

“Oh, yeah,” Light grumbled, “That happened.”

“You could’ve kept that to yourself,” she shuddered, “That smells like a red flag, Light.”

“He did apologize for it, though,” he pointed out, “I think he did anyway. As close to an apology as L gets anyway.”

“Alright,” Sayu brought herself down and collected herself, “Just out of curiosity, if he would’ve asked, would you have said yes?”

“It’d be a hell of a lot better than what did happen,” Light jumped on the defensive, “Although, if you tell anyone I said this, I will kill you personally.”

“Lips are zipped.”

“I did feel a million times better after everything settled down,” he confessed, “If he asked next time, I wouldn’t say no.”

“Light,” Sayu wondered, “How long has it been for you?”

“For what?”

“Since you last had a real relationship,” she clarified, “And we’re not counting your one-night stand with Mikami. That is not a relationship. That’s a one-night stand that turned into six weeks of stalking.”

“It’s been a few months…” Light thought back, “Are you saying something stupid like I should go after L? Especially after the stunt he pulled today?”

“I’m saying to not completely take it off the table,” Sayu shrugged, “I mean, it’s obvious he likes you. When he was at our house for dinner, I watched him. Whenever you talked, his face would get a little twitch in it. Like he was fighting a smile. And when you’d stop, he’d tense up. Like someone had a gun to his head. But it was more than that. I’d watch you, too. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was playing with your foot under the table.”

“You’d be dangerous in the wrong hands, Sayu.”

“I know,” Sayu chirped, “It’s a gift. But he does like you, Light. If he didn’t, do you really think he’d be going through all this trouble?”

“Why does it feel like I’m the only one going through the trouble?” Light sighed out, taking another drink from his wine.

“Maybe he doesn’t see it that way.” On top of her observation skills, Sayu had an impeccable ability to put the world into a perspective Light would never think to see. Still, Light wasn’t wrong. In the wrong hands, Sayu Yagami would be an unstoppable force.

“There’s no telling how he sees the world,” he figured, “His…I don’t know what to call Watari…He’s not his business partner. There’s no way that’s their dynamic. It seems much more different than that. He’s more like his handler, but he cares too much to be a handler. But he told me to be gentle with L. That he’s delicate. It’s not like he’s never had partners in the past. He’s told me he had three. Yet, when I snuck out and we ran off to Odaiba, he got so pissed at me for not being like the others. It drives him nuts that I’m not like them. I’m not sure how I’m not like them or if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. He’s difficult to read.”

“Maybe you’re not paying attention to the story.”

“Or the story is written in Greek,” Light refilled his glass, “Honestly, I’m kind of thinking about calling off the trip as a whole.”

“Light,” Sayu groaned, her face in her hands, “What’s the worst that could happen? If you’re that undecided on him, use this weekend as a test. If you still want to push him into oncoming traffic, then leave. But if you don’t want to push him into oncoming traffic, stay. Learn Greek, if you have to.”

“I don’t know…”

Ring, ring.

“What’s that all about?” she wondered.

Light noticed the name on the caller ID. _Unknown. Gee. Who could this be?_ He shot an apologetic look to his sister, “I need to take this. Is that ok?”

“Go ahead,” Sayu sat back, stealing a drink from Light’s glass.

“No,” Light slapped her hand away while he answered his phone, “Yeah?”

“Where are you right now, Light?” L was never one for pleasantries.

“I’m getting dinner with my sister,” Light told him, “Why?”

“Curious,” L sat back in his bedroom with a laptop on his legs, “I noticed a charge on my black card and I was trying to figure out where it could’ve come from. I thought I’d call and make sure you didn’t lose it. Ginza?”

“Yes,” Light confirmed, growling at him a little, “I had a bit of a day because my boss is a handful. I hope that’s alright with you.”

“I understand,” L bit the inside of his cheek, a little guilt overcoming him, “You know, Light…I’m proud of you.”

“For what?” Light wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

“For using my black card. I almost didn’t think you’d do something like that, considering it’s my money.”

“You owed me,” Light stood his ground.

“It’s not a problem,” L assured him, “Go back to your sister. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “See you tomorrow.”

Click.

“Who was that?” Sayu asked, sipping on her water.

“L,” Light shoved his phone back in his pocket, “Nothing too important. You know what, Sayu? I think I will.”

“You will what?”

“Go off with L this weekend,” Light thought it over, “It’s just one weekend. And it’s Odaiba. If anything goes overly wrong, it’s not like I’m all that far from home. I should be ok.”

“And it’s not like you’ll be gone forever,” Sayu agreed, “It’s just the weekend.”

“You’re right,” Light finished off his wine, “It’s just the weekend.”

“Good luck,” she sang, “By the sounds of it, you’re going to need it.”

“Thanks, Sayu,” Light managed to crack a smile, “Really. I do appreciate you coming out with me tonight. I needed a friend and you were exactly that for me.”

“My pleasure,” Sayu took her bows, “But…You do know…When you come back…”

“You’re wanting a full report, aren’t you?” _Always the hopeless one, Sayu._

“Yes please,” she nodded at a pace that would give any normal person whiplash.

“I won’t give you a full report,” Light drew the line in the sand, “But maybe a partial. I’ll give you a pass/fail of the weekend by Sunday night.”

“Yay!” Sayu squealed, “I knew I loved you for a reason.”

_Yep…Always the hopeless one. If things go well, though, I may need to spare the more…graphic details. There are some things Sayu’s baby ears don’t need to hear._


	18. Tough Love and Total Transparency

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my lovelies. How are we doing? Good? Great? Not good? Not great? Somewhere in between? Well, I hope you’re doing well wherever you are. As well as you can in the current moment. Are we ready to get into today’s chapter? Because I’m sure a few of you are. At least. I mean, you guys did just overtake my most popular story, so enjoy the top spot while it lasts. Make yourselves comfortable. Also, I suggest getting something to drink. You never know how thirsty you’re going to get during this chapter. I can wait…Go on. Go get some water…
> 
> You’re back! Yay! I missed you. Happy to have you here. Now, let’s get into…HOLD ON A SECOND! Before we do that, friendly neighborhood reminder that I’ll be on Instagram this Friday night at the usual time. My handle is same as it is here. We’ll be doing another live reading, so…Yeah. That’ll be a thing. Now that we’ve gotten the shameless self promotion out of the way, let’s let you get to this week’s chapter, K? x

It was never considered uncommon for L to sit by himself in his hotel suite. Everyone had already gone home for the day and Watari even gave consideration to going to bed already. However, sleep wouldn’t come so easy for L. Not that it ever really did, but tonight, he knew it would particularly elude him. Especially after looking at the bill Light and Sayu racked up at dinner this evening. _I did tell him that using my black card was ok, but I didn’t think he’d take to it that well. Maybe there’s hope for you yet, Light._ Not that L minded much. If only it had been under better circumstances.

“If there’s nothing else you need,” Watari started walking toward his bedroom, “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“Watari,” L stopped him, “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course,” Watari took the empty seat across from him, “Is everything alright?”

“I’m not sure,” L thought it over, “Do you think I’m moving too fast with Light?”

“Yes,” Watari didn’t even hesitate. And L admired him for that. No matter what the question was, he knew Watari would give him a straight answer. Anything he’d ask would be cut and dry. No gray area, “But…I also know why you’re moving so quickly with him.”

“I don’t even know that much,” L admitted, “But I’d love to hear your take on it.”

“Think about it, L,” Watari explained, “All of your relationships have been rather fleeting. With the exception of her…”

L winced at the very thought of the ex that started it all. He still held her close in his heart, but at the end of the day, he knew he had to let her go, “Go on…”

“But you got attached to Light,” Watari went on, “You didn’t have me take pictures for no reason. But I wasn’t going to ask. Who am I to question your methods? Or what you do in your spare time. That’s merely your pattern, Lawliet. You fall so quickly and so hard and get so attached because once you find something you want, you don’t ever want it slipping through your fingers. It’d be like a child with a teddy bear they’ve had since they were a baby and can’t sleep without it. Same principle with you.”

“Are you calling me a baby, Watari?” L wondered.

“You have your moments.” Again, Watari knew better than to mince his words with L. Sometimes, they needed to get through.

“I suppose you’re right,” L agreed, “So, when he and I leave for Odaiba, sex should be off the table?”

“That’s something you’d have to discuss with him,” Watari pointed out, “All good things are usually worth the wait, though.”

“Ok,” L mulled it over for a brief moment, “Should I do that now?”

“I wouldn’t say now,” Watari settled him, “Chances are, he’s asleep by now. If not on his way to it.”

“Yes…” L let it go. _Maybe I should ask him to come in early tomorrow._

“Hold on,” Watari backtracked a bit, “What made you think sex would’ve been on the table?”

_Please forgive me, Light. But you can trust me. And Watari. He knows more things about me than anyone else in the world. He knows how to keep a secret._ L held back a little smile, “He told me about a dirty dream he had the other night. I wasn’t even there physically and it was wonderful. It got him a little worked up before class today and I had to do something to calm him down.”

“Did you…” Watari worried, “Did you _act_ on it?”

“Not right then and there,” L assured him, “It was more like I had to tell him that it was ok. And I was hoping we could’ve acted on it this weekend. We wouldn’t be in town. We wouldn’t be anywhere that prying eyes could see us. It’d just be him and me. What better time? Although, in his dream, we were in his parents’ kitchen, but his mother was there, too. Although, she was gone before anything happened.”

“I’m not going to ask,” Watari let those sleeping dogs lie, “But understand that no still means no. Protection is important. Water based is better than oil based. Be careful. Please.”

“I will,” L promised.

“With that being said,” Watari got up, “I’m going to bed. Please, L. I’m begging you. Don’t push Light any more than you already have. Everyone has a breaking point and I’d hate for you to go through the hell of losing another one.”

“Ok,” L nodded, “Good night, Watari.”

“Good night,” Watari stood in the doorway of his bedroom, “You know, you should get some sleep, too. It might help rationalize some of your thinking a bit.”

“I’ll be there soon,” L wasn’t a hundred percent sure on how true that statement was. As much as he wanted to go to sleep, he knew there’d be no way. Not until something got off his chest.

L picked up his phone and stared at the basic lock screen. _Dare I? No…Watari’s probably right. Light’s probably sleeping by now. But…What if he’s not? Only one way to find out._ L scrolled through his contacts, his finger hovering over the call button next to Light’s name. He hesitated for just a moment more. _If I call him now, would that be pushing him more? Any sane person would be infuriated if their phone woke them up and I wouldn’t blame him._ But still, L needed some curiosities settled. So, he pulled the trigger. Or in this case, tapped the phone icon.

“L?” Light answered, his voice concerned instead of angry, “Is everything ok?”

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” L crossed his fingers.

“No,” Light sat up in his bed, “I was thinking about sleeping, but I can’t tonight. Are you alright? Did you need something?”

“Yeah,” L nodded. But then, he knew better, “No…Actually, no. It’s…Not alright. In fact, it’s…really not alright. Is it safe to assume you’re home?”

“Yeah,” Light confirmed, “I’m in my bed as we speak. Why?”

“Do you think…” L gnawed on the side of his thumb, “Do you think I could come over?”

“I don’t know,” Light winced, “It’s kind of late, don’t you think?”

“I know it’s late,” L winced, “But please? I really need to talk to you. And it’d be better to do this face to face than over the phone.”

Light ran through his options in his head. _I could tell him to leave me alone and lose my number…or I could risk waking everyone up and let him come over. Dad would probably hear the door open and pull his gun on him._ And it was in that moment, option three became apparent, “Tell you what…Give me about ten, fifteen minutes and I’ll be at the hotel…Ok?”

“Ok,” L smiled a bit, “Thank you, Light. Truly. I’ll see you soon.”

Click.

Light pushed himself out of bed and started figuring out a plan. _It’s really not that far of a walk from here. I should be able to manage. What could he possibly want that he couldn’t tell me over the phone? Maybe he’s bugged and didn’t want to tell me. I mean, there’s a good chance his phone calls are being monitored. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t he have said something about that?_ Light shook it off and tiptoed down the hall and down the stairs. However, just as Light fumbled around in the dark to put his shoes on, the entry light switch flipped on. _Shit._

“Light?” Soichiro peeked around the corner, holstering his gun.

“Oh,” Light jumped a bit, doing his best to keep himself calm, “Hi, Dad. Did I wake you?”

“No,” Soichiro shook his head, “What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Light thought quickly on his feet, “I thought taking a walk would help.”

“Oh,” Soichiro let it go, “Ok.”

“What about you?” Light turned the tables. Anything to keep the heat off himself, “What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep either,” Soichiro sighed out, taking a seat on the stairs, “This case has me a bit restless. Hopefully, things will be better once it’s over. Where are you going?”

“Just a few blocks,” Light shrugged. _God, I hope those calls aren’t recorded. Or at least that L has ours on a much more secure line,_ “Nowhere significant.”

“Maybe I should join you,” Soichiro insisted, “There is still a murderer on the loose.”

“No,” Light was quick to answer. Almost too quick, “I appreciate the offer, Dad, but you really should try getting some sleep. I should be alright.”

“Just…” Soichiro begged, “Please, Light. Please be careful. I know we live in a relatively safe neighborhood, but…These days…”

“I know,” Light understood his father’s apprehension, but he knew it’d be unnecessary, “Keep an eye out for anyone and anything suspicious. I got it.”

“Good,” Soichiro could breathe a little easier, “And try not to be out too late.”

“Ok,” Light slipped out the front door and headed for the train station. _Come on. Just one more train. One more train to Omotesando, so I don’t have to walk all the way there._ When Light got to the train station, the ticket booth was still lit up. _Thank God…_

“Can I help you, sir?” the booth attendant asked.

“I need a one-way ticket to Omotesando,” Light requested, slightly out of breath, “Please.”

“We’re just about to close up for the night,” he told him, checking the computer, “But the next train for Omotesando leaves in…three minutes.”

“Fine by me,” Light approved, handing over L’s black card. _He’s the one that wanted me to come over so badly. He can foot the bill for it._ Light ran for his seat and watched the world go by out the window. _Why the hell does L want me to come over? It’s not like there’s anything he couldn’t say over the phone. Or is this just L being dramatic? My money is on dramatic._

The train pulled into the station and Light began his brief trek to L’s hotel. When he got in the elevator, he thought about texting L, letting him know he was on his way, but there wouldn’t be a point. Light shook it off, their phone call still in the forefront of his mind. _He isn’t doing something stupid like firing me, is he? L wouldn’t make me come all this way just to fire me. Sure, he can be a sadist, but he wouldn’t…He just wouldn’t._ Light stood at L’s doorstep and took a deep breath. _I’m not getting fired._ He gently knocked on the door.

“It’s open, Light,” L called from the other side. _He actually showed up. That’s comforting._

“How’d you know it was me?” Light wondered, walking into L’s room, “What if it was someone trying to break in? Or one of the task force members?”

“I was expecting you,” L explained, “If it were a task force member, they would’ve notified me first. It was all in your knock.”

“My knock?” Light sat on the couch.

“It was gentle,” L went on, “As if it was intended to not only make sure it didn’t startle me, but it wasn’t going to wake Watari either. That was very considerate of you.”

“Sure,” Light gave him a nod.

“And thank you for coming,” L smiled, “In all honesty, I was worried you weren’t going to show up. We need to talk and it needed to be done in person. If it wasn’t in person, it’d only cheapen it.”

“Ok,” Light was still lost. He had never seen L like this. _This guy looks like he’s about to swan dive off a bridge. Or throw up. Or both. I don’t think I’m getting fired tonight,_ “What do we need to talk about?”

The knot in L’s stomach only got tighter as he went back and forth in his head. _Dare I do it? Dare I open that box? Half the reason I came to Japan was to escape it. I guess this is where it finally catches up to me,_ “I know you can’t tell me about your ex-girlfriend and I wouldn’t make you relive Mikami.”

“Ok…?” _Where’s he going with this?_

“But…” L sighed out, “I think I should tell you more about mine. See, there are certain things you need to understand and this is the only way to do it.”

_Wait…Is he doing what I think he’s doing?_ Light listened intently, “L…? Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” L nodded. _Not sure how alright I am, but…I hope this fixes something. I know it’s not going to fix everything, but at least something_ , “I’m fine. But if we’re going to go forward with this, we need to do it with complete honesty and full transparency. And you should hear about the ones before. Is that ok with you?”

When Light stepped off the elevator that night, never did he think he’d be getting this. But he gave L a little smile, hoping to put L at ease, “Ok. Tell me.”


	19. The Before Times and the Human Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> : Hi, friends! *waves frantically*
> 
> Well…Here we are. The last week in October. You know what that means? Oh…You don’t? You mean, you weren’t at the livestream last week? You didn’t hear? Well, to recount the minutes from the last livestream…
> 
> The first 20: Discussion, casual conversation, me readjusting.  
> The middle 30: Story time. Live reading of the handwritten project part two.  
> The final 10: More discussion, closing statements, outpouring of love and softness, and the reoccurring appearance by Huggy Bear. If you don’t know who Huggy Bear is, then my god, watch the damn livestreams and find out.
> 
> Now, more importantly, the first 20 discussion. I’m going to be going on hiatus until December. Why? Because November is NaNoWriMo season. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically a month where I leave you guys to your devices and I write a 50,000 word novel in a month. The word count is child’s play to me, in all honesty. I usually end at about 100,000 or so. My record is 174,000 or so. But anyway, that means I’m going to leave you kids on your own for a while. I won’t be here and you won’t see me until December…Hold on. Let me check my calendar…
> 
> December 1st. Wow. I didn’t think we were going to start right back up the day after NaNo season ends. But still…It’s neat. So, because I know there’s going to be questions, here. Have an FAQ of Q’s never A’d:
> 
> Lumi, are we still going to get updates?  
> Yes. Yes, little one. You will. I’ve busted my ass to make sure you guys were well taken care of while I’m gone. And not just you guys, but EVERYONE.
> 
> Lumi, are you still going to be responding to comments and reviews and such?  
> Duh. Of course.
> 
> Lumi, are you still going to be doing the livestream?  
> Yes. I am definitely going to need those livestreams to keep my sanity. Because a break every once in a while won’t kill me. In fact, I’ll be going live on Friday again because it’ll be the Hallowstream special. I know. I’m lame. And L’s birthday is on Saturday, so make sure you leave your offerings at your altars.
> 
> Lumi, what is your NaNo project going to be this year?  
> Not that I’m really anticipating this one, but it’s nice of you to not ask. It’s going to be a sequel of a story on FictionPress called Evenings at Mistress Holloway’s Mansion. It is available for your reading pleasure right now, if you’d like to catch up. Its sequel will be going up there as well starting in January when I get around to editing it. The first one is kind of like a fucked up version of the Bachelorette. It’s totally worth a read.
> 
> Lumi…are you going to miss us while you’re gone?  
> Oh…Oh, sweetheart…Of course I am. *chu* Don’t worry. I’ll be back in December. We’ll still be here. It’ll just be another 34 sleepies until we see each other again. I know you’ll be ok. I’ve left you with a sitter. You’ll be ok. Hey…Look at me…I love you. I’ll greatly miss you. And I’ll see you in December, ok? x
> 
> And because I totally forgot to do this earlier, slight content warning: Implied mentions of suicide.

“Where should I start?” L readjusted his seating position, still ready to throw up at any given moment. Even he hadn’t given much thought or emotional attachment to his exes after they went their separate ways. To say suppression was L’s biggest healer would be wrong. However, it made for a hell of a bandage. Now as he slowly picks and peels away at that bandage, all L could hope for was for the wounds of his past to not have festered and infected the rest of him.

“Start at the beginning,” Light nudged him along, beyond curious about L’s past. The whole thing was shrouded in mystery. Hardly anyone knew anything about him. In all sense of the word, L was truly an enigma.

“Alright,” L dug back in his memories into all of the dark corners he was afraid to look, “I only truly fell in love once.”

“Really?” Light gasped, “You? Forgive me for saying this, but you don’t exactly come off as the type to fall in love.”

“It’s true,” L confirmed, “I was working a case in Los Angeles a few years ago. Brutal murder case. Kind of like the one that brought me here. When I got to the station, I had a small task force from the FBI waiting for me. In that team, there was…Her. She was everything. Smart, beautiful, and damn good at her job. I didn’t know it at the time, but she had only been at the bureau for a couple years. Yet, she carried herself like she had been there longer than her superiors. On most days, I would have sooner dealt with her than her superiors.”

“What was her name?” Light asked.

L felt a little ache in his chest, “Naomi. She was something else. That’s for sure. We screwed around for a while, but it never really amounted to anything past that. After I went back to London, we still kept in touch. Every once in a while, work would send her to my side of the world and we’d pick up where we left off. Sometimes, I’d fly to Washington DC to surprise her. The last time I saw Naomi, she introduced me to her fiancé.”

“All while you two were casually seeing each other?” Light looked at L strange.

“No,” L clarified, “This was after we cut the sex out. We were just friends at this point. But unfortunately, our story doesn’t have a happy ending.”

“What happened?” Light did his best to approach it delicately. _Is…Is he crying?_

“It got closer and closer to their wedding day,” L’s voice broke, “A couple weeks before, she called me and I could tell in her voice that something was bothering her. She put in her letter of resignation in at the FBI. Her and her fiancé had just closed on a new house. They were already talking about babies. She wanted to make me think she was happy, but I knew better than that. That wasn’t the Naomi I knew. That was an empty shell beaten and worn down by domestic bliss. Not everyone is meant for that kind of life. Naomi included. I got a call from her sister the day of the wedding saying Naomi was gone. At first, I thought she was asking me to solve a missing persons case. But…”

A gentle sob escaped L’s throat. Light could piece the rest of it together on his own, “So, what happened after her?”

“I never went to a funeral before,” L pulled himself together, “Anytime I knew someone who died, I wouldn’t go to the funeral. I didn’t see much of a point of being in a room of crying people. I did go to hers, though. And I met her sister, so it wasn’t all hysterics. I stuck around for another day and went back home to throw myself into work. Little did I know, work wasn’t the only thing waiting for me.”

“What was it?” Light moved over, letting L take the empty spot. _He doesn’t need to think he’s doing this alone._

“Well,” L curled up next to Light, a little smirk gracing his face, “I called him Mello.”

“Mello?” Light wondered, “Was that his real name?”

“No,” L shook his head, “It’s just what I called him. More of a tongue-in-cheek nickname for him. He was anything but. Mello was truly something else. I thought Naomi was like seeing a unicorn. I loved her, but she was no Mello. Mello was a firecracker. That’s the only way I could ever describe him. He was one hundred percent a firecracker. And bendy. My god, was he bendy.”

“No need to go into specifics,” Light settled him.

“Every night was a wild ride with that one,” L went on, “He was bright, but…Incredibly volatile. Mello’s moods were enough to give anyone whiplash. One minute, he’d be asking me for…Credit cards, car keys, vacations, what have you. The next, he’d be screaming at me for absolutely no reason.”

“Was it really for no reason?” Light jabbed, “Or are you just trying to save face here?”

“It’d really be for no reason,” L swore, “You can ask Watari about it. It’d be nothing for Mello to fly off the handle with no provocation on my part. And you’d think he’d tell me what was bothering him. Not a word. We had to break it off. I say, we. Mello left. He told me I was too…controlling.”

“I can see that,” Light grumbled, flashbacks to that afternoon running through his head, “Kind of like when you make decisions for someone else instead of running it by them first.”

“Your passive aggression doesn’t fall on deaf ears, Light,” L shot him a quick glare. _Me and my stupid patterns,_ “But then…After Mello…Then, there was Near.”

“Near?” Light shook off his mild discomfort, “I’m assuming another nickname?”

“Yes,” L nodded, “Near…Near was a special one. Never had I ever seen someone take to this life so quickly and so easily. Near wanted for nothing. I made sure of that. I didn’t spoil Mello half as much as what I spoiled Near. Mello’s wish lists were as thick as a dictionary. Near’s wish lists were always the size of full encyclopedia sets. Anytime I’d be working, I’d always have Near in my lap in some way. Cuddling, sleeping, sitting, watching what I was doing…And I loved it. That is…Until I wanted a little reciprocity one night. That didn’t exactly go over well.”

“What kind of didn’t go over well?” Light worried.

“We were laying in bed one night,” L remembered, “I had just gone to bed. It had been a long day and I just wanted to lay there. No sex, no touching, no nothing. I just wanted to go to sleep. And hell hath no fury like Near when he’s told no. He through a colossal fit that resulted in so much broken glass…My computer destroyed. My coffee pot in pieces. That was not a pretty sight. Near had become completely and utterly dependent on me. When we broke up, he didn’t know how to exist without me. I stopped getting him presents and got him therapy and an education instead. And I set aside a…modest…trust fund upon his graduation. I did the same thing with Mello after we broke up. I’d never leave them out in the wind like that. Whether they knew it or not, I would make sure they were taken care of.”

“So,” Light thought it over, “One thought you were holding him back and the other thought you weren’t holding him enough. And the only one that could’ve had the best of both worlds got engaged to the wrong man.”

“Don’t you say that,” L snapped, his body shaking, “Her fiancé is a good man with good intentions. Don’t drag him into this. Please. Like I said, Naomi didn’t want that. I knew how her brain ticked. She was not meant for that kind of life. That’s why I never would’ve made her do that.”

“Ok,” Light backed off. _Looks like I hit a soft spot there,_ “But for the most part, I’m right, aren’t I?”

“For the most part,” L nodded, “However…You missed one.”

“What?” Light stared a hole through L, “What do you mean, I missed one? How am I supposed to know your _entire_ dating history?”

“There is another,” L bit the inside of his cheek, holding back a smile, “He needed to be held, but would never ever admit it. Not to me. Not to anyone. Not even to himself. He was broken, but he managed to hold himself together. I’m sure it gets exhausting, but he needed to understand that he didn’t have to carry that burden anymore. He had a certain melancholy about him…Maybe that’s what drew me in to begin with. I’ve always been a sucker for good, old-fashioned, human tragedy.”

“It’s funny you say that,” Light chuckled to himself, thinking back to his conversation with Sayu earlier in the evening, “Which one of them were like that?”

“You…”

Light felt the heat rising in his face, “You think so?”

“I know so,” L inched closer to Light, “I’ve seen it happen. Whenever you pull away from me, I have a habit of overcorrecting. Which leads to things like this afternoon happening.”

“That was just the shock talking,” Light brushed him off, “If we’re being honest, I didn’t think you’d be _that_ forward. It’s not like I’m going to kill you over it or anything like that.”

“Thank you,” L’s shaking had started to go away. However, Light noticed his twitching getting to be too much for his liking.

“Here,” Light dug in his jacket pocket and pulled out a soft pink lollipop, “You seemed like you could use this.”

“Thank you, Light,” L melted inside, “That’s very sweet of you.”

“It’s no problem,” Light promised, “You know…My dad asked me where I was going.”

“What did you tell him?” L’s radar went up.

“That I was going for a walk,” Light told him, “It’s not like I was going to say I was coming here.”

“Ok,” L relaxed, “Good. I have to deal with the man in the morning and on a regular basis.”

“I have to live with him,” Light turned the tables, “You think you have it bad?”

“You…” L chewed on the side of his thumb, “You don’t…Have to live with him.”

“Unfortunately,” Light corrected him, “I do. It’s not like I have enough for an apartment any time soon.”

“I could get you a room here,” L offered, “Or you could just move into the new headquarters.”

“New headquarters?” Light wondered, “Since when are we moving hotels?”

“I never said anything about moving hotels,” L explained, “It’s been under construction since I landed here. It’s nearly done. The residential side of things are their own individual apartments. You’d be more than welcome to one of them.”

“I don’t need anything overly lavish,” Light played the modesty card, incredibly curious as to what those rooms held, “Do…You have one?”

“I am the one funding it,” L pointed out, “Of course I have a room there. Why?”

“If I were to hypothetically move in there,” Light figured, “That would be like us being roommates, right?”

“We’d be in two different units,” L settled him, “I mean…Unless you were looking for us to be roommates. I wouldn’t exactly object to it.”

“That’s one of those things we need to wait on,” Light drew his line in the sand.

“Ok,” L let it go, “But it is getting late…”

“What?” Light teased, “Are you kicking me out now?”

“No,” L shook his head, “Of course not. It’s not that. It’s just…I’m tired. This isn’t something that happens often. When I’m not laying in bed, forcing myself to go to sleep anyway.”

“Ok,” Light got up from the couch only to have L’s hand in his, “Is everything ok?”

“You…” L didn’t even look up, “You could stay here. If that would be ok with you.”

Light let go of L’s hand, thinking things through. _He’s been wanting me to stay with him for a while now. Looks like someone can’t wait for the weekend._ Light started walking away, “L…”

“Yes?”

Light held back a smile, “Come here.”

L got up from his comfortable spot on the couch and walked over to Light, “What?”

Without another word, Light threw his arms around L, hugging him tight. _He’s been through hell, but no one would know to look at him. He has the audacity to tell me I’m the broken one,_ “I don’t like being read like that…But if you need me to stay, I’ll stay.”

L’s shaking came back as he buried his face in Light’s shoulder, “Thank you…I don’t mean to be needy, but…”

“Hey,” Light hushed him, “You just bared your soul to me and you think I’m going to just abandon you like that? It’s ok, L. You can be needy with me like this. Come on. Let’s go to bed, ok?”

“Ok.” And just like that, Light brought L into his bedroom and put him in bed, leaving his phone, his wallet, and his shoes on and next to the nightstand. When Light finally crawled into bed, L snapped right up next to him like a magnet and the two of them fell right to sleep.


	20. Locked Doors and Open Minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Alright...I'm leaving you in charge. Mostly because I'd trust you over Janet any day of the week.
> 
> -...Your assistant?
> 
> -Hypothetical assistant. We wouldn't want her getting a big head here.
> 
> -You can count on me! Go. You have a novel to work on.
> 
> -Thank you, Sayu. I greatly appreciate it.
> 
> -No problem!
> 
> So, hi! How are we doing? In case you didn't hear, I, me, Sayu, am in charge for the next month! Every Tuesday when we sit back to watch my brother and his bumbling conquest for love, I'll be here to kick things off! Sound like a plan? I think it does. And it'll be nice to give Lumi a break. But all the comments? Those are going to be her job. She's not paying me enough to answer fan mail. Anyway, don't be afraid to say hi, k? Kisses! x

The next morning, Watari had finished his regular morning duties. A light tidying of the room. A check of the messages and the status of the task force. Everything had been taken care of. He only had one thing left to do. When Watari went to L’s room, the door was locked. He stared down at the doorknob with great confusion. _That’s strange. He doesn’t normally lock his door._ Watari gave a few gentle taps on the door.

“L?”

L woke up wrapped in Light’s arms, not having a single intention of moving. However, Watari’s voice was enough to get him out of bed. _I’m so sorry, Light._ L quickly piled all the blankets on Light, efficiently hiding him. He checked the door, just as surprised as Watari. _Smart boy, Light. You were right to lock it. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I expect nothing less from you._ L unlocked the door, his sleepy head poking out, “Yes?”

“Good morning,” Watari looked over the half asleep, disheveled mess in front of him, “Why was the door locked?”

“Just in case.” Even in his early waking moments, L was a quick thinkinger, “There is still a murderer out there, Watari. If they were to break in and get through you, the least I could do is keep my door locked.”

“Alright,” Watari let it go. _He’ll come to me when he’s ready,_ “Is everything ok?”

“Fine,” L chirped, “How are you?”

“Worried,” Watari admitted, “You seemed off when I went to bed. I could hardly sleep. But they make things to take care of that.”

“I know.” Nobody could ever become as familiar with over the counter sleeping medications quite like L.

“Are you sure you’re doing ok, L?” Watari asked, “I’d hate for you to think you need to carry heavy burdens on your own.”

“I’m fine,” L promised. _Trust me. I unloaded a lot of that heavy burden last night,_ “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately. But I’m better now. Thank you, Watari.”

“Ok,” Watari nodded, glancing over L’s shoulder, “By the way…I got a call from Mr. Yagami this morning.”

“Did you?” L played it off. Meanwhile, Light began to sweat. If the million layers of blankets didn’t do it, the threat of his father looming over his head would.

“The task force will be over earlier this morning,” Watari reported, “If that’s alright with you.”

“It’s fine,” L allowed, keeping his guard up, “Thank you, Watari.”

“Of course,” Watari turned on his heel, “Would you care for some breakfast?”

“Yes, please,” L wasn’t going to say no to Watari’s cooking, “Waffles.”

“Ok.”

L closed the door as soon as Watari was out of eyeshot and crawled back into bed. He noticed Light doing his best to recover from the sudden avalanche of blankets thrusted upon him, “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Light managed to get out of it, “I could think of worse ways I’ve woken up, but at least those had context.”

“I’m sorry,” L curled into Light’s side, “No one needs to know what happened in here last night. And by no one, I mostly mean I don’t want to have to explain this to Watari later. Thank you for keeping so quiet. And for locking the door.”

“You’re welcome,” Light put an arm around L’s shoulders, “But what are we going to do about the task force? Watari said they were coming early today.”

“That could’ve very well been a test,” L reached for his phone off the nightstand, “Something to get a rise out of you. Or a warning that your father would be here shortly.”

“Well?” Light looked down at L’s phone, “Which was it?”

L scrolled through his messages, glaring at the screen, “Warning. They’ll be here in pairs in about half an hour in ten-minute intervals.”

“Dammit,” Light groaned, “What are we going to do? It’s not like I can come walking out of your bedroom like this without them asking questions. At the very least, Watari’s going to say something.”

“Not necessarily,” L settled him, “I have an idea.”

“I’m listening…”

“I can send Watari on a trivial errand,” L thought, “Kind of like the ones I send you on for the sake of busywork.”

“You send me out for busywork?”

“Occasionally,” L hid a little smirk on his face, “I need to get some work done somehow. How do you expect me to do that when I have such a good distraction?”

“L…” Light blushed a little.

“Alright,” he backed off, “I mean, I’m not the one that let me be little spoon last night.”

“Hush…”

“Fine,” L let it go, “But anyway, I can send Watari on a trivial errand. While he’s gone, we can pretend you showed up early. I had already discussed calling you in here early last night anyway. We’ll call that divine intervention. Or maybe I was just thinking ahead without realizing it. Regardless, if they ask what you’re doing here so early, you’re finalizing my travel plans. How does that sound? Good enough? Convincing?”

“Good enough for me,” Light approved, “But what do I really have left to finalize?”

“My contact,” L decided, “Make sure things between he and I are good…They _are_ good, right?”

“They’re better,” Light smiled a bit, “Last night definitely helped your cause.”

“Good,” L rested his head on Light’s shoulder, “Transparency?”

“Full transparency,” Light stole a quick kiss on L’s cheek, making L’s face squinch up. A little gasp escaped Light’s throat. _What the hell was that? And why was it so damn cute?_

Beep!

“What was that all about?” L wondered.

“It’s my phone,” Light reached into his jacket pocket.

“It still has a charge?” L looked at him in amazement, “Color me impressed.”

“I guess,” Light checked the screen. And his heart stopped. _Shit…Dad…_

“Light?” L worried, “Is everything alright?”

_Where are you?_

Light quickly tapped away on his keyboard. _At work. L asked me to come in early,_ “It’s my dad. He’s wondering where I am.”

“You’re here,” L wrapped himself around Light’s arm, “You’re with me. You’re perfectly fine.”

“I’m finalizing your travel plans for this weekend,” Light reminded him of their cover story.

L got one last kiss, “Stay right here. I’ll be back in a minute. I’m going to go get rid of Watari. Do not leave this room until I tell you it’s ok. Understand?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “Go ahead.”

“Good,” L got up from the bed and headed to the kitchenette where the sweet smell of waffles put him in an even more heightened state of euphoria, “Watari…?”

“Yes, L?” Watari didn’t break his concentration from the waffle iron, “Is there something you need?”

“Could you go to the sweet shop in Shibuya for me please?” L requested, “I want macarons.”

“You don’t need macarons,” Watari shot him down, “Didn’t you just get some?”

“I don’t have anymore,” L pointed out, “And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling kind of homesick lately.”

“Alright,” Watari caved, “I’ll get you some this afternoon.”

“I’d rather have them now,” L insisted, “If I wanted them by this afternoon, I’d just wait for Light to get here and make him get them for me.”

“Fine,” Watari took the next round of waffles off the iron and put them in front of L, “Any toppings you may want, you’re going to have to put on yourself.”

“Why can’t you do it?”

“Because,” Watari grabbed his coat and his hat off the rack near the door, “Someone said he wanted macarons. Earl grey, yes?”

“Yes, please,” L nodded, “Thank you, Watari.”

“You’re welcome,” Watari nodded back and headed for Shibuya. _I made plenty, Lawliet. You better be sharing._

Meanwhile, Light had finished up his damage control at home. _Dad seems to think I work too hard. I’m not the one that told me to take this job. Yes, ultimately, it was my decision, but he’s the one that told me about it in the first place. The sooner I have the money, the sooner I can move out again. Not that living back home hasn’t been nice, but I miss having my own place. I miss the old apartment…I wonder if I can save enough to get a place in the same building._ Light shook off the old feelings and watched as the last bit of life drained from his phone. 

“Light…?” L spoke softly on the other side of the door, “Watari’s gone. It’s safe for you to come out now.”

“Good,” Light got up from the bed, “The task force is on their way.”

“We have contingencies for this,” L reminded him, bringing Light out into the open. The thought of them having the whole room to themselves made L’s heart skip a beat. _Oh, the trouble we could get in. Just need to wait for the task force to leave today and dreams become realities,_ “But for now, we have just you and me. And Watari’s cooking. Speaking of which…”

L went back to the kitchenette to indulge himself. Light followed close behind, watching as L piled on more toppings on his waffles than one person had a right to. Light’s eyes got wider and wider with every new one L added, “Are you trying to put yourself in the hospital?”

“No,” L said calmly, finishing off the can of whipped cream…that was half full when he started, “Why?”

“That much sugar is enough to put anyone in a coma,” Light gasped, “Do you really need all that?”

“Yes,” L’s tone was unwavering. However, his heavy hand on the strawberry syrup was something to worry about, “Believe it or not, Light, this is actually quite normal for me. Anything that isn’t incredibly sweet will either taste nauseatingly awful or taste like nothing to me. This? This is how I function.”

“You are definitely an enigma,” Light admitted, “That’s for damn sure.”

“Hey…Light?” L put the empty whipped cream can back on the counter.

“Hmm?” Light decided to help himself to coffee instead. But then, out of nowhere, he felt L’s forehead on his back, “L? Is everything ok?”

“Thank you,” L wrapped his arms around Light’s waist, “For staying with me last night. You really didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it. I don’t think I would’ve been ok on my own after telling you all that. Especially after telling you about Naomi. Near and Mello were fine, but I could take them with a grain of salt these days. Naomi…Every time I think about her, I fall in love again only to break my heart. Mostly, I can stop before I get to that point, but…”

Light cut L off with a deep, intimate kiss, shooting tingles all the way to L’s toes, “You’re welcome. It’s alright, L. You needed me last night and I was there. That’s how this works. At least it’s how it’s supposed to work.”

L wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t think of anything to say. He couldn’t think of anything to do. _So, this is what it’s like…You’re a different monster, Light Yagami. I knew when we first met that you’d be different from Near and Mello, but you’re even different from Naomi. I need to hold onto you…But in a different way._ L blinked the stars out of his eyes, “Yeah…”

“Come on,” Light brought L’s breakfast into the living room and let him eat at his hip, no matter how strange or excessive it may have seemed. 

“Light…” L looked up at him. _His pace, not mine,_ “I know we were…particularly close last night and that was under special circumstances, but…Once we leave this afternoon…Is this going to go away?”

“What do you mean?” Light wondered.

“Our rooms are still going to be separate,” L kept his fingers crossed, hoping for a better answer, “Aren’t they?”

“For now,” Light nodded, “Like you said, last night was under special circumstances.”

“Oh…” _I should’ve known. But at least he didn’t call off the trip altogether._

“Although,” Light went on, “We never know what Odaiba’s going to hold for us. Maybe we’ll have some special circumstances there, too.”

“Ok.” _That’s a little better._ A little knock tapped at the door. _So much for the quiet. And Watari’s not back yet,_ “It’s open.”

The door creaked open and L moved to the chair across from Light. And a familiar voice boomed at the door, “Good morning, Ryuzaki.”

“Mr. Yagami,” L bit the inside of his cheek to force back a smile. That didn’t stop him from winking at Light, though. _I’m sure seeing me cuddled up with your son wouldn’t have been the ideal way to begin the workday,_ “Good morning.”

“Light…” Although, seeing his son sitting amongst them did catch Soichiro off guard, “What are you doing over here?”

“Hi, Dad,” Light played cordial. 

“You had me worried,” Soichiro took a spot on the couch, “When I looked in your room this morning and you weren’t there, I thought you didn’t come home last night.”

“No,” Light lied through his teeth, “I came home last night. Then, I got the text from L and I’ve been here ever since.”

“I did ask him nicely, Mr. Yagami,” L assured him.

“You work him too hard,” Soichiro pointed out.

“And if it’s all the same to you,” L took the massive step ahead, “I’m taking him with me this weekend. I hope that’s alright.”

Soichiro’s heart stopped. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t his decision, but he also knew how hard Light had been working for the last few weeks. _The poor kid deserves a break, but what would Ryuzaki need Light for?_ Still, Soichiro stared at his feet, “Light…”

“Yeah, Dad?” Light perked up.

“Are you ok with this?” Soichiro wondered, “This isn’t my decision. It’s yours. And I’ll trust your choice.”

“Thank you,” Light always respected his father and fortunately, his father reciprocated that respect, “Yes. We’ve already discussed it. I’m not at liberty to say what we’ll be doing, but I’ll be alright.”

“Good…” Soichiro could breathe a little easier. _I don’t want you getting tangled up in this investigation, Light. I know you’re more than capable of helping us handle it, but I do not want you getting tangled up in it. The more you stay out of it, the better,_ “The others are on there way. Shall we get started?”

“Yes,” L nodded, getting up from his chair, “But first…Light?”

“Yes?” Light’s head popped back up.

“Could I see you for a moment please?”

“Sure,” Light followed L back to his bedroom. _Did I do something? Is this because of what Dad said?_ L shut the door behind them, “What is it?”

“It’s nothing bad,” L pulled Light closer to him, returning the kiss from earlier, “I wish we had a little extra time together this morning. And I can’t wait for them to leave.”


	21. Inquiring Minds and Free Candy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! It’s Sayu again! You thought that was going to be just a one time thing? Nope. I’m back this week! It’s so nice to see all of you again. But you want to know something neat? I’m in this one this week! Yay! Are we ready? Because I think we’re ready. I feel good about this one this week! So, I’ll see you next week, k? Kisses! x

L knew deep in the pit of his soul. The day would drag on for an eternity. And then some. He knew what was waiting for him at the end of it. _Odaiba…Just the two of us._ L spaced out at the sound of Matsuda saying something likely stupid. Out of the corner of his eye, L caught Light at his laptop. _Look at you…Working hard. I’m proud of you, Light. I still can’t believe you stayed. Granted, I wished your father would’ve held off on coming here this morning, but you stayed…If you were to stay again, I definitely wouldn’t say no. But after everything I told you, you still stayed._

“Ryuzaki…” Soichiro tried to get his attention. However, L had his head somewhere else.

“Should we do something, Chief?” Mogi wondered, just as concerned.

However, Aizawa would gladly take matters into his own hands. The toe of his shoe hit the leg of L’s chair, “Ryuzaki!”

“What?” L snapped out of his Odaiba daydreams with Light.

“You were spacing out…again,” Aizawa grumbled. _Hypocrite._

“Forgive me,” L gave them a nod, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

“Maybe you could focus on the case instead,” Aizawa demanded.

“Aizawa…” Soichiro stepped in for L, “We may not have to understand the way Ryuzaki’s process works, but we will respect it. He’s just as human as the rest of us.”

“Are you sure about that, Chief…?” Aizawa kept his voice down, shooting accusatory glances at L. Although, he did get a cheap, quiet giggle out of Light.

“I am,” L assured him. _And don’t think I didn’t hear that, Light. I’ll deal with you later,_ “Have you spoken to all of the suspects, Mr. Aizawa?”

“Everyone has an alibi,” Aizawa reported, still ready to throw a punch at L at any given time.

“Have they been fact checked?” L asked, “We can’t afford to be careless.”

“I’ve checked on most of them,” Aizawa told him, “Three of them were out of town, one of them was visiting their sister in Shinjuku, and the other two were with their respective families.”

“What about the families?” L chewed on the side of his thumb.

“Why would we check the families?” Matsuda wondered, “It’s not like they’d be under any suspicion.”

“Everyone is under suspicion, Mr. Matsuda,” L bit the inside of his cheek, doing his best to let his stupid question flee from his thoughts. _Did I not just say we couldn’t afford to be careless? Of course, we should suspect the families. If we don’t, then the real killer could be hiding under our noses. They wouldn’t think we’d think to check the families. Please…Child’s play. I was figuring out cases like this better when I was twelve. Oh, memories,_ “I think it’s safe to say we’ve found our next step.”

“Check the families?” Matsuda figured.

“Very good, Mr. Matsuda,” L praised him, “Gold star for you.”

“We’ll get right on it!”

_Oh, Mr. Matsuda…Bless your optimism. But speaking of things I’d like to get on,_ “Light?”

“Yes?” Light’s ear perked up, although his concentration never broke.

“Are you all packed?” L asked.

“Yeah,” Light nodded, finishing up on his laptop, “I’m all packed.”

“Good,” L approved, “You don’t need anything else?”

“Not that I can think of,” Light assured him, running through the contents of his luggage in his head.

“Wonderful,” L got up from his chair.

“When are we leaving?” Light asked, shoving his laptop into his bag.

“Not long from now.” _Because the more this goes on, the more impatient I get. If only I had the power to call it an early day…Oh, wait…I do._

“What are you bringing Light along for?” Aizawa scoffed.

“It’d be better to have my assistant and not need him,” L defended, thinking fast on his feet, “But if you’re still concerned about the case, Mr. Aizawa, and not what I do when I need to make quick business trips for the weekend, you’ll still all more than welcome to come here. If you need me, talk to Watari. I’m not going to be bothered for the next forty-eight hours, starting now. Light, come with me. I will see you all on Monday.”

“Hold on!” Matsuda asked, “Where are you going, Ryuzaki?”

“An undisclosed location,” L was ready to either punch Matsuda or throw him to sharks. He wasn’t sure which. But as Light stood up, everything was good again. _What a view…_ L snapped out of it for a half a second, “As I said before, I’m going to meet up with a contact. I’ll be back by Monday. Light, are you ready?”

“I’m ready,” Light threw his laptop bag over his shoulder and L got the door for him, admiring his favorite view with the utmost discretion. Just like that, the task force was left behind and L and Light got on the elevator, “So…”

“So…” L held back a smile, “We’re really doing this, aren’t we?”

“Yes,” Light nodded, “Last time I checked.”

“…Odaiba?”

“Odaiba…” Light smiled a bit, “Careful, L. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were excited for this.”

“I am excited,” L admitted, “Wouldn’t you be if you were me?”

“I don’t have to be you,” Light slipped his hand into L’s for a brief moment, “I’m excited, too.”

“Good.” L let Light into the car first, appreciating his view one more time. _For the next forty-eight hours, that ass is mine._ However, as they took off, the car took an odd turn.

_I could’ve sworn we were on our way to Odaiba. L did say we’d be leaving directly from the hotel to Odaiba,_ “L?”

“Yes, Light?”

“Where are we going?” Light watched out the window at the familiar buildings going by.

“Your house,” L told him, “You did say you were packed.”

“I am,” Light swore.

“You didn’t go home last night,” L pointed out, “So, there’d be no way you’d be able to get your bag from here any other way.”

“Alright,” Light let it go, watching as they pulled up to the front of the Yagami household. 

“Light,” L wondered, “Does anyone besides your father know you’re going to be leaving this weekend?”

“My sister knows,” Light confessed, “There’s not much Sayu doesn’t know. The girl is a steel trap. I should tell my mom, though.”

“Ok,” L stayed in the backseat.

“What?” Light teased him a bit, “You’re not coming inside?”

“I wasn’t invited.”

“You know,” Light allowed, “It’d be alright if you wanted to come inside. It’s probably just my mom home. Maybe Sayu.”

“No need,” L appreciated the sentiment, but the sooner they could leave, the better. _I have no doubt that your mother would have a million questions and I’d rather not deal with that,_ “I’m sure you won’t be gone long. Go on, Light. And hurry. I can wait here.”

“Ok,” Light ran into the house and ran straight to his room while L stayed in the back of his limo, twiddling his thumbs. 

A few minutes had gone by and a gentle tick knocked at L’s window. _What the hell?_ He pushed the button in the door and rolled his window down, “Can I help you?”

“You’re L, right?” a sweet little voice chimed on the other side.

“Yes,” L poked his head out the window, “Why? Wait…You’re Sayu, aren’t you? Light’s sister.”

“Yep!” Sayu chimed, “Can we talk for a minute?”

“I don’t see why not.” _Light did say this girl was steel trap. What are the odds of her repeating anything back to her father?_

“So…” she leaned against the car, “Odaiba, huh?”

_She knows too much already._ L pulled himself together before he could let Sayu smell fear, “What do you know?”

“I know enough,” Sayu let out a little sigh, “Kind of like how you’d marry my brother in a heartbeat.”

“No,” L cut her off, “I wouldn’t. I’ll admit I have a softness for your brother, but marriage is not in the cards.”

Sayu didn’t know how deep that little jab at L would’ve gone. Or how much it would’ve pained him. Instead of drilling L like she would with Light, Sayu backed off a little, “Look…I’ve been around for all of Light’s relationships. The good parts, the bad parts…the worse parts. Some of them, he’ll talk about. Some of them, he won’t. Some of them, he’s legally obligated to keep his mouth shut.”

“I know about that one,” L chimed in, “Well…As much as he could tell me and still be within the limits of his NDA.”

“I just…” Sayu shoved her hands in her pockets, “I don’t want to see another one go down in flames like they did. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you here?”

“I think so,” L figured. _You truly are a sweet soul, Sayu Yagami. You and your brother are a lot alike in that respect. You just don’t want him hurt again. I wouldn’t do that intentionally._

“You know,” she held back a little smile, “He likes you. Whether he wants to admit it or not is another totally different monster, but Light does like you. No matter how mad he pretends to be at you.”

“You heard about that?” L winced.

“There’s not much Light doesn’t tell me,” Sayu chuckled to herself, “He told me about that. He needed to vent and normally, I’m the one that gets to listen.”

If that didn’t turn on the lightbulb in L’s head, “I think I might like you, Sayu.”

“Aww,” Sayu melted inside, “Flattered. Don’t make me not like you.”

“I never intend on it,” he promised, “This may sound strange, but what are you doing at, say, four o'clock Monday afternoon?”

“I should be on my way home from school,” Sayu thought, “Why?”

“I have a few questions that I’m thinking Light wouldn’t give me a straight answer on,” L told her, “Do you think you could answer them for me?”

“Sure,” she nodded. _Not only do I make him happy, but I get to see exactly what Light is getting himself into. He’d probably kill me for screening his new possible boyfriend, but maybe L might give a thing or two away, too. He seemed pretty quiet at dinner when he came over. I can’t help but wonder what he’s hiding._

“And,” L stipulated, “If you could keep this between us please. I’d greatly appreciate it.”

“Sure.” _Oh, you are so much like Light. It’s no wonder he likes you so much. You two are cut from the same cloth. I can’t wait until Monday, so I can find out just how cut from the same cloth you two are,_ “So, I’ll see you Monday?”

“I will see you Monday,” L confirmed, “If you see this limo in front of your school, don’t think too much of it. Just get in.”

“Wow,” Sayu joked, “Is the driver going to offer me free candy and a puppy, too?”

“It’s far from that,” L promised, “Trust me. If you have any questions about me prior, your brother would be your best bet for any information. I will warn you, though. There are some things he knows about me that he is sworn to secrecy about. Those are things you’re not allowed to ask.”

“I understand,” Sayu gave him a nod, “I know when to keep my mouth shut.”

“Very good.”

Moments later, Light came out of the house with a look of confusion on his face. _What the hell is Sayu doing talking to L? And what is she telling him? Worse, what kind of information is he pumping her for?_ Light knew what he had to do. The sooner he could break up the conversation, the better, “What’s going on here?”

“Hi, Light,” Sayu chirped.

“Just making conversation with your sister,” L shrugged, “Is that so wrong?”

“A little unsettling,” Light admitted, “But not completely out of the question.”

“Are you leaving already?” Sayu asked.

“I’ll be back Sunday night,” Light promised, “And if I’m not, assume that L had me killed and my body sent off somewhere for scientific purposes.”

“Light,” L gasped, “I wouldn’t do such a thing. If I were to kill you, I would give you a proper burial. I’m not totally heartless.”

“That’s comforting,” Light threw his arms around Sayu, “Pray for me.”

“You’ll be fine,” Sayu assured him, “You have fun this weekend.”

“Thanks, Sayu,” Light grumbled, “I appreciate the moral support.”

“And be safe,” she had a special kind of smirk on her face. One that made Light a tad uneasy.

“What?” he shot her a glare, “What’s that look all about?”

“Be safe,” Sayu winked, shoving Light in the car. And just like that, she waved the two of them off. _You know damn well what that look was all about. I know how you work better than you think I do, Light. I just hope you’re prepared._


	22. Handcuffs and the Odaiba Ferris Wheel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Lumi’s fanbase! And I’m starting to realize you’re kind of my fanbase now, too. That’s neat. How are we doing? Anybody need refills? Hold on! I have this…Water pitcher…Water pitcher…Where’s the water pitcher? Oh…There it is. Nice going, Sayu. Here…You’re going to need this. *quickly skims chapter* OH GOD! *hand immediately goes over eyes* Yeah…I probably wasn’t meant to see that. It’s going to get a bit suggestive this chapter. Well…After this, we’ll only have one week left together…I’m going to have to say goodbye next week…But it’s been fun hanging out with you guys. I don’t want to go…But I’m sure I’m going to have to give this back to Lumi eventually…Anyway…Here. Enjoy watching my brother’s escapades with his not boyfriend, you voyeurs.

After a short, yet quiet ride from the Yagami house, L and Light finally made their arrival at a beautiful white building that rivaled L’s hotel in Omotesando. L sat back in amazement, admiring the architecture. _Color me impressed, Light. I didn’t say we had to stay somewhere nice, but here we are. Maybe you’re starting to get used to this. Or maybe that’s wishful thinking. Still._ When they walked inside, the lux carried from the outside. _He really did put some thought into this._

“Hold on,” Light stopped L in the lobby, “I’m going to go check us in. I’ll be right back. Can I trust you by yourself? You won’t wander off somewhere? Chase a balloon into the street?”

“I’m not that bad, Light,” L promised, holding back a smile, “I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you.” _One less thing I need to worry about._

L watched Light while he went up to the front desk. _He’s cute when he worries. He doesn’t need to do that, though. That’s my job. I’m the one that worries about us. You don’t need that kind of burden._ L shook off his thoughts and waited for Light to come back. When he did, a bellhop took their bags and for the first time since they had any sort of relationship, L took Light’s hand, content with the world, not a single worry in his head. And to make it even better, Light didn’t automatically pull away. _Just you and me for the weekend, Light. Just you and me._

When they got to their room, L took a good look around. _Huh…It’s a beautiful room, but it’s not much different than my suite in Omotesando aside from a few decorative choices. I wonder if that’s by design, too. You really did think this over, didn’t you, Light?_ But Light didn’t think much of it. He just took it in as it came. But then, as soon as their trip began, a knock ticked at the door, making L a bit uneasy.

“Hey,” Light settled him with a lollipop from his pocket, “It’s alright. I’ll get it. It’s probably our luggage anyway.”

“Thank you,” L relaxed. _He really did put a lot of thought into this. You really can be a sweetheart when you want to be, Light. Thank you._ However, as Light got to the door, L noticed a little something, something on the headboard of his bed.

“Hi,” Light got the door where someone from room service waited on the other side, “Can I help you?”

“Here are your strawberries, Mr. Yagami,” he smiled politely, handing him the box, “Can I get you anything else?”

“No,” Light shot him down, “Thank you.”

“Light…” L called from the bedroom, “Do you think I could I have word with you please?”  
  


“In a second!” Light put the strawberries on the counter and headed into the bedroom, “What?”

“Care to explain these?” L spun a pair of silver handcuffs around his finger. That Light had forgotten all about. Back when he was still angry with L and in a position to make him uncomfortable. However, it didn’t seem to faze him.

_Play along? I can play along,_ “What? You said you were thinking about sex this weekend.”

“I was thinking about it,” L confirmed, “But I didn’t have you pegged as someone with a bondage kink. I mean, not that I’m complaining. If you’re looking for light bondage, handcuffs are always fun. I can get on board with a little bit of bondage once in a while.”

_Shit…Backfired. Backfired big time._ Instead of L squirming, Light stared down at the floor, hiding the quick flash of red in his cheeks, “Really?”

“Relax, Light,” L put him at ease, “That’s not happening tonight. There’s no need for you to worry. We’re going to take sex off the table for the weekend.”

“Really…?” Light’s insides started to loosen up.

“Not that I don’t like your enthusiasm,” L applauded, “But it’s too soon for something like that. Or so I’ve been told. Who was that at the door?”

“Concierge,” Light brushed it off. _Good…As much as a good lay would be fantastic for me right now, I’m way too wound. That would only be…Messy. To say the least,_ “And…Room service brought us something…For you, actually. A gift.”

“From who?” L wondered, walking out into the main area.

“Who do you think?” Light chuckled to himself, “From me.”

“You didn’t have to do that, Light,” L awed, noticing the white box on the counter, “What’s in the box?”

“Open it.”

“I’ve had too many assassination attempts from suspicious packages,” L wasn’t having it, “What’s in the box?”

“Not an assassination attempt,” Light swore. _Who the hell was this guy? And who would want him dead? I mean, I can kind of understand. He can be a hard pill to swallow. But enough to want him dead? That’s a bit extreme._

L looked down at the box, then back up at Light, “Can I trust you?”

“If you couldn’t trust me after last night,” Light rolled his eyes, throwing himself into the couch, “Then, you wouldn’t have gone on this trip with me in the first place. Just open the damn box.”

“Alright,” L cracked the lid, carefully smelling the gap. _Doesn’t smell like poison. In fact…It smells like chocolate._ When L took off the lid, a dozen chocolate covered strawberries sat in the paper, “Light…You didn’t have to do this…”

“I wanted to,” Light bit his lip, “In case I needed something to be the buffer for the handcuffs and the lube in the bedroom.”

“There’s lube in the bedroom, too?” L wondered.

“No,” Light backtracked, “There’s no lube in the bedroom. Just the handcuffs. And totally not condoms in the drawer either.”

_Someone was feeling spicy,_ “I didn’t get to the drawers in the bedroom. I wasn’t paying that close of attention after the handcuffs. And it’s sweet how you were that thoughtful.”

“I thought you said sex was off the table!” Light squeaked.

“I’m getting mixed signals,” L thought, “So, is that a yes or a no?”

“No!”

“Alright,” L shrugged, “I’m not the one that asked for handcuffs. But still, the strawberries were nice. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Light settled down, “So…What do we do now?”

“I don’t know about you,” L put the strawberries down on his bed, “But I could stand some dinner. What about you?”

“Dinner sounds like a good idea,” Light had been hoping L didn’t hear his stomach growling for the last two hours. He had been too busy taking care of the rest of the little things to even think about eating anything. He was going to grab something before he left home, but he got too caught up in whatever it was L and Sayu were talking about. 

“Come on,” L took Light’s hand again, “I’ll let you pick.”

“What am I, the queen?” Light joked.

“No,” L shook his head, “I’ve met the Queen. You are most definitely not the Queen, Light. I can promise you that. Besides, royalty isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be anymore anyway. It’s mostly just a figurehead position. Royals hardly have any power anymore, but that’s not a conversation the world is ready for. Especially the royals themselves.”

And just like that, L and Light wandered the streets of Odaiba in search of sustenance. In the last month or so, Light had noticed a pattern with L. The quiet, quaint cafés put him at ease more than the nicer, upscale restaurants. One café sat tucked away off the main strip, its entry hidden in the alley. Hardly any windows, only one visible door. Light knew it’d be perfect. He led L inside and the two of them got a cozy table in the back corner.

“Light…” L stared into his milkshake, his heart pounding, “I know I’ve already said this, but I am sorry about being so presumptuous about this weekend and what it was for. I don’t plan on anything happening unless you say it’s ok. And even then, it could very well still be up in the air.”

“Thank you,” Light took a long sip from his water, “Consider it forgiven.”

“If it’s alright with you,” L played with the cherry, “Do you think…For the sake of argument…We could start over? Pretend like what happened never happened and move on?”

“On one condition,” Light stipulated, “You never pull any shit like that ever again and next time we decide to do this, you don’t spring that on me.”

“Would you have said yes if I would’ve asked you?”

The conversation Light had with Sayu popped into his head. _She didn’t seem too worried when I left. And I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m getting laid this weekend anyway. We did say we were going into this with full transparency,_ “If you would’ve asked me…I wouldn’t have said no. And I did feel kind of good afterward. I mean, after I was done being pissed off about it.”

“Sorry,” L chewed on his thumb, “I’m a strong dominant. I’m kind of used to getting what I want and when I want it. That’s why you perplexed me so much when we first met.”

“Are you trying to tell me this was a love at first sight thing?” Light asked, “Because I hate to say it, but that was one sided.”

“I wouldn’t say love,” L clarified, “But lust…Definitely lust at first sight. When Watari brought your pictures to me…That was an interesting night. Anyway, the fact that you weren’t automatically at my feet made me queasy.”

“Sorry,” Light jabbed, “I play a little harder to get.”

“You have put up a hell of a fight,” L agreed, “But it’s been worth it. I’m just glad you haven’t left.”

“I said I played hard to get,” Light admitted, “That doesn’t mean you can get rid of me easily once you have me.”

“I have yet to have you, though,” L pointed out, “Anywhere other than your dreams anyway.”

“That was ONE DREAM!”

“Relax, Light,” L chuckled to himself, “You’re cute when you get all riled up. Sometimes, you’re wound so tight, you seem like you’d punch someone just for saying they liked your shoes.”

“I’m not wound that tight…”

“Oh, yes, you are,” L got up and sat on Light’s side of the table, gently kissing his cheek, “Even something as simple as that could get you all riled up.”

“Says the guy that had a giant shit fit on the Odaiba ferris wheel,” Light argued.

“That doesn’t count,” L retaliated, “That was being riled up and suppressing it for a week or two before something came out of it. And that’s when I blew up on the ferris wheel. And here we are. Bigger and better people…We are going to the Odaiba ferris wheel again, right?”

“As soon as we leave here if you want,” Light allowed, “Is that ok with you?”

“Absolutely.” L wouldn’t turn that down. Ever. _Oh, Light…Odaiba’s great, but I hope we get to the point in our relationship to where our trips can be transcontinental. In a perfect world, we’d be on our way to Heathrow right now. But baby steps._

Once they were done eating, L and Light found themselves back on the Odaiba ferris wheel. Without any thought, L laid his head on Light’s shoulder, his fingers laced in Light’s. The world was peaceful again. Things weren’t awkward or uncomfortable. L didn’t feel his skin crawl and Light didn’t want to pull away. They were peaceful. The occasional innocent kiss shared between them. Both L and Light were perfectly ok. Just the two of them.

“You know, Light,” L cuddled into Light’s side, “I still feel kind of guilty for what happened.”

“L,” Light sighed out, “I told you already. It’s water under the bridge.”

“I know,” L nodded, “But…There has to be a way for me to make up for it.”

“We’re spending a weekend in Odaiba together,” Light reminded him, “We have the most incredible views. We have a beautiful hotel room waiting for us when we get done here. What more could I ask for?”

“Well…” L turned shy, “I can think of something…”

“Oh yeah?” Light wondered, “And what’s that?”

“I know you said no to sex this weekend,” L remembered, “But I’ve been thinking about that dream you told me about…You know I could make it come true. With the exception of your mother being there initially.”

Light’s heart stopped. He knew exactly what L was trying to get at. And he could feel that very thing getting harder by the second. The memory of L’s mouth doing the most wonderful things flashed through Light’s mind, clouding his judgment. _And he was so damn good at it, too…_ But as tempting as it was, Light pulled himself together…and cooled himself down, “I appreciate the effort, but I don’t think tonight’s the night for that.”

“Alright,” L bowed out respectfully, “I understand. The offer’s still on the table, though. However, I won’t be able to do it almost four hundred feet in the air later, but…”

“You were going to do it here?” Light gasped.

“It’s not like anyone would be able to see us,” L assured him, “We’d be too high up in the air for anyone to see us and anyone on the ride can’t see through the cars. We’d be perfectly safe.”

“That’d be all well and good,” Light blushed, hoping the blood flow to his face would take care of the blood flow going elsewhere, “But I’m not…I’m more of a behind closed door type.”

“Oh,” L figured, “You’re a prude.”

“No!” Light squeaked, “It’s not that I’m a prude. There’s just a time and a place for things like that and on the Odaiba ferris wheel is not one of them!”

“That’s fine,” L let it go, “Again. I’m screwing with you, Light. Relax. It’s alright. I’m not going to blow you right here and now. Not without your say so. But it has been a long day…I think we should go back to the hotel.”

“Yeah,” Light agreed, “That does…Wait a second…You’re not wanting to go back to the hotel, so you can blow me there, are you?”

“No,” L promised, “I really am tired.”

“Ok,” Light relaxed. _I have to stop letting him do that._

The ride got back to the bottom and after their fifth or sixth go around, L and Light got off the ferris wheel and headed back to their hotel. They were both exhausted (Light a little more so than L) and could stand a good night’s sleep for their adventures in Odaiba in the morning. Once they got to their suite, L went into his room. Light went into his. As Light climbed into bed, a wave of calm washed over him.

_He was going to blow me on the Odaiba ferris wheel tonight…I’m glad he knows what boundaries are now, though. L is definitely a strange creature. Still…He’s only human. Hard to believe sometimes, but he’s only human._ Light shut his eyes for just a second, unable to fall asleep like he wanted to. Something still felt off. Like something was missing. Then, a soft beep came out of Light’s phone. _Who the hell would be texting me now? Sayu, probably wondering what happened tonight._ However, when Light answered his phone, he stared at the screen, pleasantly surprised.

_Good night. x_

_-L_

Light smiled at the sweet sentiment and got out of bed, walking to the room next door, “You know we’re in the same hotel room, right?”

“You’re the one that said you wanted separate bedrooms,” L reminded him, comfortably balled up in his own bed.

Light sat at the edge of L’s bed and gave him one last kiss, “Good night.”

“Good night.”


	23. Rough Mornings and Michelin Quality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! Well…This last month has been fun, hasn’t it? I’m really going to miss being here, but…Oh…Hold on…We got headlights coming up the driveway. Yeah…Lumi’s home. It’s been fun hanging out with you guys and making some commentary about my brother’s love life. Or lack thereof. But bless him, he tries. Well…We should do this again sometime. So, for the last time…At least for now anyway…Love you! Bye! :3
> 
> Oh! And by the way, there’s mentions of anxiety issues in this chapter if that makes anyone queasy. And some of those issues coming to fruition. So…Stay safe, babes.

As morning began to creep over Odaiba, L slowly, but surely opened his eyes. And his heart started racing. _Where am I? Where is this? This isn’t my hotel room._ He got out of bed and jumped toward the window. _This…This isn’t Omotesando. This isn’t London. This isn’t home. Where the hell am I?!_ L’s breathing grew more and more erratic and a fearful scream came out of his throat. _Where is this? What happened? Where the fuck am I?!_

Fortunately, Light was just waking up, too. He got out of bed and knocked on the door, “L?”

_Light?_ L could hardly sit still and his anxiety had only gotten worse. And to make matters even worse, when he opened his mouth, no words came out. _Uh-oh…_

Light knocked again, “L? Can I come in?”

L pushed the door open and jumped back on his bed, silently still freaking out. _I’m sorry you had to see this, Light, but bigger fish._ L did his best to try and slow his breathing down, but to no avail. _Relax…Relax! Why can’t I fucking relax?!_ Beating himself up over it wasn’t helping. But L could hardly contain himself. He tried his usual methods, but they weren’t working and it only made him angrier. At himself, at the situation, he couldn’t even tell anymore.

“L…” Light tried to get close to him, but L only pushed him away. And Light respected his distance, “L…What is it? What’s wrong?”

_It’s me. I’m fucking wrong! And I’m just going to end up a burden on you and you don’t deserve that…Fuck, do you not deserve that…_ L kept trying and fighting, but he only fought himself. And made himself worse. Slowly and carefully, Light reached out for L again, “L…”

“What?” L snapped at him. At this point, it was better than nothing.

“What is it?” Light asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

L managed to get one last big, deep breath out, “Where are we, Light?”

“We’re in Odaiba,” Light filled him in, inching a little closer, “We got here yesterday after we left the hotel.”

“Why are we here?” L started to calm down somewhat. However, he still sat on pins and needles.

“Because…”

“Where’s Watari?” L knew that if one person could get him back to his normal, it’d be him.

“He’s back in Tokyo,” Light went on, “He’s taking the task force while we’re gone. We’re here because you said you wanted to take a little time off this weekend to help clear your head and spend some time alone with me. Do you not remember this conversation?”

“Vaguely,” L dug back in his memories, “But…Everything seems to check out.”

“Are you ok?” Light worried.

“Ok is a relative term,” L laid his head in Light’s shoulder, not sure how ok he was quite yet, “I’m sorry, Light. You didn’t need to see that.”

“What was…that?” Light wondered. _It’s not like I didn’t know what that was. I know one of those when I see it. He needs to say it. He needs to get it off his chest._

“Panic attack,” L admitted, “A minor one. I am just waking up and I may have briefly forgotten about our Odaiba trip. Waking up in an unfamiliar location isn’t…always the easiest of transitions for me. I’ve been staying in Omotesando for the last month or so and I’ve gotten used to it. But then…Suddenly…We’re here and…I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Light settled him, pulling L a bit closer, “It’s alright. You’re alright. It’s just something that happened. It’s over with now, right?”

“Hopefully,” L kept his fingers crossed, “Unless it comes back later with a vengeance. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.”

“Hold on,” Light got up from the bed, “I’ll be right back. Are you going to be ok for a few minutes without me?”

“I should be,” L nodded. _Yes…You truly are a special kind of soul, Light,_ “Where are you going?”

“The kitchen,” Light left L in his bed and went to the fridge. _Water. He just needs some water._ As soon as he had the bottle in his hand, Light was back in the bedroom, “Here.”

“What’s this for?” L took the water from him.

“Just trust me,” Light insisted, “All of it.”

“Ok,” L wasn’t going to fight him. Mostly because he didn’t have the energy, “You know, Light, for likely never having done this before, you really are quite the natural.”

“What makes you think I’ve never done this before?” Light asked.

“When would you have ever brought someone down from a panic attack?” L looked at him strange, downing his water. _He was right. This does help._

“Well,” Light sighed out, putting an arm around L, “When I was younger, I used to have to bring myself down a lot.”

“Really?” L had a hard time believing him. _I don’t remember seeing that in your background check._

“Really,” Light nodded, “High school wasn’t always pleasant. Early college wasn’t always pleasant. Everyone always thought that my grades came easily to me. If they even started to show any signs they were dipping, I’d…Go somewhere not ok. And it’d throw me into a panic attack.”

“This is the first I’m ever hearing about this,” L listened closer, “Why is that?”

“Because this is the first time I’ve ever said anything about it,” Light confessed, “To anyone…I started doing research online for different symptoms and they’d all point to generalized anxiety.”

“So,” L pieced it together, “You’ve kept quiet about it all this time?”

“Heaven forbid I’d be seen as a disappointment,” Light went on, “I couldn’t do that. Not with the pedestal I’ve been kept on. Falling from that high would kill me.”

“Then,” L figured, “It’s safe to say you’ve never gotten help for it, have you?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “Actually, they started getting better and I stopped getting them altogether for a while. Until…”

“Until her?”

“No,” he corrected him, “After her. We had everything so entangled together. It wasn’t until I started getting the emails from the tuition office that they started coming back. Once I moved back home, I’d shut myself up in my bedroom, so no one would see them happening. Even the one person that knows everything there is to know about me didn’t know this. She’d try to help, but Sayu would only dig too deep and I didn’t need to go through that. I love her to death, but she didn’t need this on her shoulders.”

“Out of curiosity,” L wondered, “And feel free to answer however you’d like, but would you consider getting help for them now?”

“I don’t think I’d need to,” Light thought, “In all honesty. I haven’t had one since I started working for you. Not a major one anyway. Maybe a couple minor ones, but nothing over the top like they used to be.”

“That’s good,” L stared down at his feet, “Hey, Light…?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you…” L wondered, “Maybe think…I could…?”

“Yes,” Light wasn’t going to say no to him. Whatever his request. After the morning they’ve had, Light was fully prepared to give L anything he wanted. As dangerous as that blank check may sound. But he knew the kind of energy L had. It wouldn’t be anything drastic. Without another thought, L wrapped himself around Light’s waist, laying his head on Light’s stomach, already starting to feel considerably better. And Light wasn’t going to turn him away, “How are you feeling, L?”

“Better,” L reported, “Better than what I was anyway.”

“That’s good,” Light ran his fingers down L’s spine, putting him even more at ease, “You wouldn’t be up for going out today, would you?”

“Not right now,” L shook his head, almost back to sleep again, “I’m not sure if we’ll be able to do much of anything today.”

“Ok,” Light wasn’t going to force it. He knew better. He gently pressed his lips against L’s forehead, “You’ll be ok. I promise.”

“Thank you, Light,” L shut his eyes, “I’m sorry this is how our trip to Odaiba is starting. When I started planning this trip, this wasn’t the route I was expecting it to take.”

“What did I tell you?” Light settled him, “You don’t need to apologize for things out of your control. It happened. It’s done. Hopefully. You seem to underestimate how far my patience can go.”

“I’m starting to see that…”

“Trust me,” Light chuckled to himself, “After three years of being with my last girlfriend, that was the ultimate test of patience. If only I could tell you.”

“You know,” L pointed out, “It’s just the two of us here. I mean, yes, it’d still be breaking the NDA, but no one would know about it. I’m sure it was just to keep you from going public.”

“I know it was to keep me from going public,” Light nodded, “But she didn’t trust me enough to keep my mouth shut, so now, I’m legally bound to do just that. No. I’m not telling you about her. In a perfect world, she’ll drift off into obscurity in my mind and I’ll be able to continue living my life.”

“That’s very big of you.”

“Thank you,” Light held L a little tighter, already feeling him untense. _Good…I don’t think I had it in me to handle another wave. And I doubt you did either._

“Hey, Light…?”

“Yeah?”

L curled into Light’s chest, focusing on his heartbeat, counting each one, “Thank you. For dealing with me.”

“Quit talking about yourself like you’re some great burden,” Light hushed him, “Of course I’m going to deal with you. That’s just a professional courtesy. But I didn’t deal with you this morning, L. I took care of you. There’s a difference. When we’re back in Omotesando at the hotel, I deal with you. When we’re here, I take care of you. When we’re anywhere else but the hotel, I take care of you. I thought we made that pretty clear the last time we were here. Now, before you can go into another self-loathing fit, how about some breakfast?”

“Yes, please.” _Five…Six…Seven…Eight…Nine…Ten…_

“Any preference?” Light asked.

“Anything sweet is fine,” L decided, “If you’re calling room service, my black card is…”

“Who said anything about me calling room service?” Light cut him off, “There’s food in our fridge. I made sure of that.”

“Really?” L looked at him strange, “Why?”

“Because,” Light gently moved L off his chest and put him back on the bed, “When I was still living with her, I learned quickly how to cook for myself. She’d always say she ate while she was out, so us having dinner together wasn’t always a thing and I could only handle so much takeout. But I think I can manage breakfast.”

“Are you any good?”

“I’m not bad,” Light admitted, “I don’t know if I’d say I’m Michelin quality, but I’ve figured out a few things.”

“If you’re going to be making breakfast…” L sat up, “Do you think I could watch?”

“Sure,” Light allowed, “I’m not going to stop you. Only if you’re prepared to maybe help a little.”

“I might,” L smiled a bit. _You really are something else, Light. And of all the pain in the ass assistants I interviewed that day, I’m so glad you were the one to stay in my lap._

Light took L’s hand and brought him to the island in their kitchen. While L sat down, Light started digging in the fridge, his eyes sparkling at all the fresh fruit he had at his disposal. _Perfect._ He took a quick look in the pantry and noticed all the staples. Light knew exactly what he was making. And L watched him carefully, curious about the end result. Although, the fruit threw him off a little, “Light…”

“What?” Light grabbed the flour out of the pantry.

“If it’s not painfully healthy,” L assured him, “That wouldn’t be terrible.”

“I never said it was going to be painfully healthy,” Light reached for the sugar, putting L at ease. 

And so, Light got started. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a waffle iron in their room, so waffles were out of the question. However, in his cooking adventures, Light learned quickly how to make Japanese souffle pancakes. And his would always taste like angel food. No matter how hard he’d try to make them taste like something else, they’d always be angel food somehow. Not that he’d mind. _And I know damn well L wouldn’t care either. Besides, after the morning he’s had and the morning I’ve had, we could stand something a little naughty._

Light threw his cut up strawberries in a pot with some water and sugar and waited for them to cook down while he started on the batter, carefully folding in his perfectly whipped egg whites. L kept quiet and watched Light work. _And he said he wasn’t Michelin. I’ve been in some of the finest restaurants in the world and I’ve never seen such care go into their craft like this. Either he knows what he’s doing or he’s out to impress me. Either way, I get breakfast, so I can’t complain._

Once the heavy cream was turned to whipped cream and the pancakes were done, Light started plating it. The jiggle on the pancakes was enough to make L smile. Light piped on some whipped cream and drenched them in syrup just the way L liked. The sweeter they can be, the better. Light slid the plate across the counter, “There. Good enough?”

“Don’t ever say you’re not Michelin, Light,” L’s eyes sparkled at the beautiful display of pancakes in front of him, “Because this is definitely Michelin. We wouldn’t happen to have any powdered sugar, too, would we?”

“Yeah,” Light stood on his toes, reaching up for the powdered sugar. He handed L the sifter and the bag, “Should I leave this here or can I take it back?”

“I’ll tell you when you can take it back,” L scooped some powdered sugar into the sifter and made it snow on his pancakes. And when he took his first initial bite, L’s eyes rolled back into his head, “Light…”

“Yeah?” And Light picked up on his delight. _I think I might have nailed it._

“This is incredible,” L swooned, piling more sugar on it, “Don’t you ever dare say you’re not Michelin quality again.”

“I told you I wasn’t bad,” Light giggled to himself, “Besides, you deserved it.”

“Deserved it?” L wondered, catching his breath between bites, “What did I do to deserve it?”

“Panic attacks are their own special kind of hell,” Light took L’s hand, mostly to get him to slow down. If he kept at the pace he was going, chances are, L would’ve ended up throwing up and Light’s already cleaned up one mess, “They suck something awful. Food doesn’t.”

“Especially yours,” L assured him, taking the hint. Instead, he stared down at the aftermath on his plate, “Thank you, Light. Maybe instead of going out this morning…We could wait until this afternoon and see how things are.”

“Are you sure?” Light worried. _I’d hate for him to push himself for my sake and only get worse. That whole second wave thing has me nervous,_ “We don’t have to. It’s not like we have to leave right away tomorrow. Odaiba’s not that far from home. We can wait.”

“I’m sure,” L nodded, holding back a smile. _Yes…You’re so much like them, but you’re so different. You are truly a complex creature, Light Yagami. And I’d love for you to show me more._

“Ok,” Light let it go, “If that’s the way it’s going to be, I’m going to go spend some time by the pool. Are you going to join me or stay here?”

“I’ll be fine here on my own,” L promised, “Go ahead.”

“Ok,” Light gave L one little kiss. Just enough to make him feel better, “I’ll have my phone on me if you need anything.”

“Ok.” _Yes…Please. Show me more._


	24. The Voyeur and the Exhibitionist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly walks in* *notices you all sleeping, tucked into bed* You did good, Sayu. You did damn good. *you all wake up* Shit…Well…Not shit. Hi…What are you kids doing up? Potty break? Kind of hungry? Need a snack? Thirsty? Alright. Come here. I got your snack, I got your cup, and I got your blanket. I’m not holding your hand when you go potty. You’re a big kid. You can do that by yourself. Now, come on. Let’s get you back into bed. There…All tucked in? Wonderful. Now, do you want to hear about what went on last month or do you want to go right into things?
> 
> **Choose Your Own Adventure! For a recap of last month/NaNo stats, continue to paragraph 1. To go directly into this week’s chapter, continue to paragraph 2.
> 
> P1: Wait…You wanted to hear about my NaNo experience? Like…Actually wanted to hear about my NaNo experience? Well…There’s a part of it I’m saving for my Thursday crowd. But me, being the overachiever I am (not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I am a terrible overachiever. This is a blessing and a curse.), I hit that 50K goal in the first week. From Sunday to Sunday, I had 50K. However, I had my whole project done by the second week with…I think 83K or so? Yes. It’s going to go up on FictionPress at the beginning of next year with daily updates. Probably daily updates. That was pretty great. But don’t tell your siblings on the Thursday, but the backstory I promised them? I’m about nine chapters into it right now. That’s the thing. Sometimes, all it takes is the pressure of my weekly updates to hook up the jumper cables to my brain. But even if you picked this option, keep going. There’s more we need to talk about…
> 
> P2: Fine…I can’t blame you. It’s all just stats and shit anyway. But there was something personally that kind of rocked me and on top of me getting back into the swing of things, I know you’ve all heard me talk about my dog. My Mika. My baby girl. Whether it be here or be Twitter. You’ve heard of her at least once. Well…(at the time of posting) This past Friday (a few days ago), I lost my baby…She had been sick for a while and we’re all impressed she lived as long as what she did. I hate having to write this, but I know she’s not in pain. She’s not suffering anymore. She’s ok wherever she is. I’ve had Mika since I was nine years old, so this is bound to rock me a little hard. Even now, I’m fighting tears. She was 16 years old. She lived a good, long life. And it kind of put a damper on my birthday, so other than a surprise stream, it was a quiet night. Now, before I start bawling, I’m going to go. We’ll be back on regular schedule for the most part, but if I’m a little late here and there, I’m sorry. I’m kind of going through some shit right now. I missed you…All of you. I love you. x
> 
> Oh! And because I almost forgot. As my gift from me to you for me coming back, how about a warning? And an NSFW label for this chapter? Because does it get NSFW…You’re welcome. The following chapter contains sexually graphic material that may not be suitable for a younger audience. 

While L finished coming down from the mess of this morning (and the delightful food coma, courtesy of his favorite assistant and his incredible cooking), Light had gone to the hotel pool. He needed to clear his head as much as L did. _How long does he hold that shit in before it gets this bad? Even when I was at my worst, I’d find a way to vent._ Light fiddled with his phone for a moment or two with one thing on his mind. _Maybe I should talk to Watari. At least then, I’d be able to handle a bigger one a little better._

Meanwhile, as Light debated whether or not to call Watari and make him worry, L sat in their room wrapped in a blanket, idly watching out the window. Their room had a nice view of the pool. And L wasn’t complaining. He liked having eyes on Light. Not just because it meant seen light by the pool. It made L feel safe. If all else failed, L knew he had Light. If what happened earlier wasn’t a good enough indication. _You really could’ve walked out on me so many times, Light. Like so many before you have. I can’t ever thank you enough for staying. You didn’t deserve my outburst this morning. And I know I didn’t deserve the response. But thank you, Light._

That didn’t mean L’s voyeuristic tendencies weren’t still there. He watched Light jump into the water, cresting to the surface shortly after. His glistening skin and perfect form caught L’s attention. _Do you know what you do to me, Light Yagami? Are you aware of the fact you’re living art? Or that you’re my favorite piece? Remind me to thank your father when we get back to Omotesando. He won’t know why I’m thanking him, but that’s ok. He doesn’t need to know. You don’t even need to know I’m here. But I’m so glad I am._

Out of the corner of his eye, Light noticed a familiar face in one of the windows. _Is he watching me? Why would he be watching me? It’s not like I’m going to take off on him or anything stupid like that._ Light shook off his slight uneasiness and decided to make this work to his advantage. _After this morning, I’m sure L could use a little something, something, couldn’t he?_ Light wasn’t quite sure how to seduce someone like L. Instead of trying, Light decided to slightly exaggerate what he was already doing. _Dare I start drying off? No. I could stand a few more laps._

And L sat at the window, enjoying the show and just eating this up. _Sweet Jesus…_ L clutched his chest while Light continued to flounce around for him. _There’s no doubt in my mind anymore. You know damn well what you’re doing, Light. There is no way this isn’t deliberate._ L could appreciate Light at many angles, but seeing the sun hit him just right made him almost go feral. He could feel his pants getting tighter. _That’s right, you little slut. You know what you’re doing. And I’m watching you. Is this really how you should behave when I’m not around? What if someone else were watching you, too? They better not be. Not when you’re mine. That’s it._

Ring, ring.

Light got out of the pool and looked down at his phone. _Why the hell would L be calling me? I’m right here. He could’ve just come down from the room. Then again, it is L,_ “Hi.”

“Hi,” L glared down from their room with a hint of a smirk on his face, “I see you…”

“And I see you,” Light looked back up at him with the same look.

“Could you come back up here please?” L requested, his voice soft and gentle while the inside raged on.

“Is everything ok?” Light went into instant worry mode, “Your panic attack isn’t coming back, is it?”

“No,” L melted a bit, his ferocity settling. _Dammit, Light. Not that I don’t appreciate it. And people say I don’t know how to read a room,_ “It’s not that. That should be fine. I don’t feel anything like that coming on.”

“That’s good,” Light relaxed, making himself comfortable on the chaise lounge, “So, what’s the problem?”

_You’re still down there and I’m still up here._ L did his best to hold back any anger and frustration, but sometimes, it still manages to slip out in little growls, “Get your ass up here. Now.”

“I’m on my way,” Light popped right back up and grabbed his towel.

“And don’t dry off.”

“Ok…” _Odd request, but ok. It’s so cold in the hallway, though_. Light wanted to wrap himself in his towel so badly, but he knew L would know and by the sounds of things, L had something on his mind. _Is he mad at me? He told me this morning when I left he was ok with me leaving for the time being. Why the hell would he be mad at me?_

When Light walked back into the room, he looked around for L. He had a feeling L didn’t leave the window, yet when he went to check, he wasn’t there. It had him concerned, “L?”

“Bedroom,” L snapped a little. _No…Don’t do that. Don’t make him think you’re angry._

“Are you alright?” Light stood in the doorway, still dripping wet. 

_It’s so nice to see you take to instruction so well, Light,_ “Can’t say I am, but I can’t say I’m not either.”

“What’s the matter?” Light sat on the edge of the bed, leaning in toward L, “Your inner voyeur left unsatisfied?”

_So, he does know,_ “You know what I love and hate about you all the same, Light?”

“What?”

“You have no idea what kind of pull you have on me,” L grumbled, “Absolutely, one hundred percent, not one single clue, what kind of pull you have on me.”

“What’s the matter?” Light decided to exact a little revenge, lacing his fingers between L’s, “Can’t handle a little teasing once in a while?”

“No,” L spoke flatly, “It pisses me off to no end.”

“Well,” Light’s teasing only got worse, “Maybe that’s a good thing.”

“Light…” L shot him a glare, “I’m getting the strong urge to cuff your ass to this bed right now. And keep you properly chained up.”

“Or…” Light should’ve known to back off, but after some of the things L had put him through, he earned this. _Voyeur and into bondage? Interesting mix_ , “Maybe you had something else in mind.”

“If you wouldn’t have said no when we left yesterday,” L admitted, “I’d consider it. Believe me, I’d consider it.”

“So,” Light moved a little closer, “You don’t like being put in situations like this, huh? Ones that are slightly uncomfortable and you have no way out of them?”

“Light,” L took his hand away, “I’ve already had a day and in all the ways you’ve made it better, please don’t start making it worse.”

“Fine,” Light took that as his sign to back off, “Are you ok, though? Like…In all seriousness?”

_I’ve been scraping my zipper for the last thirty minutes, but all things considered._ Without another thought, L fell into Light’s bare, wet chest, “Yes…I’m fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Light pulled him in closer.

“Light…”

“Hm?”

“You’re…” L’s hand made contact with Light’s skin, “You’re so cold…”

“You’re telling me,” Light chuckled a bit, “It’s like they turned the air conditioning all the way up in the hall. And someone told me not to dry off yet.”

“I’m sorry,” L let him up, “Why don’t you go shower off and get dressed? I want us to take a walk. If that’s alright with you.”

“That’s ok,” Light allowed, quickly stealing a kiss, “I’ll be right back, ok?”

“Ok.” _You truly are so blissfully unaware of what kind of pull you have on me, Light. It makes me wonder if I have the same pull on you. If I do, you’re certainly good at hiding it. But at the same time…That kiss was nice._

Light left L on the bed and walked into the bathroom, only to stick his head out the door shortly after, “You won’t want to watch this, too, will you?”

“No,” L giggled a little, “Go ahead. I understand the concept of privacy, too. I’ll be waiting.”

“Ok,” Light went into the bathroom while L laid on his bed. _Yes. Completely and utterly clueless. A little hopeless. A lot of mystery. An occasional pain in my ass. However…That doesn’t make me want him any less._

As Light finished drying off and getting dressed, L checked his phone. The missed calls and the texts were starting to pile up. And suddenly, L was overwhelmed with the worst guilty feeling. _I’m sorry, Watari. Please understand. This could be my only chance I get to be alone with Light. Trust that I know what I’m doing and that I’ll be ok._ Then, L had a flashback to that morning. And a little smile graced his face. _You’re not the only one that can take care of me anymore. I’ll always need Watari, but…_

“Hey, L?” Light came out of the bathroom fully dressed again, “Did you have any specific destination in mind?”

“Not really,” L tossed his phone aside, “I’m sure dinner wouldn’t be the worst idea.”

“You’re not wrong,” Light helped him up from the bed, “Shall we?”

“I suppose so.”

L’s hand never left Light’s. Not in the hall, not in the lobby, not when they stepped outside. They didn’t care about the looks they’d get. They had each other. They could be comfortable in their skin. Because they had each other. Although, Light started to notice L getting a bit…Twitchy. Like he was about to explode. _That’s weird. That only happened when he’s either not being allowed to speak or…_ Then, it hit him.

“Hey,” Light took a lollipop out of his pocket, “Here.”

“What’s this for?” L wondered. At the same time, though, he was incredibly flattered.

“You were looking a little uneasy,” Light figured, “Thought your blood sugar was starting to dip.”

“Thank you, Light,” L reached for it, but Light held it away from him, “Light, what the hell?”

Instead of handing it over, Light got one more quick kiss before putting the lollipop in L’s mouth, “Sorry. You’re not the only one that occasionally wants something sweet.”

_You smooth little shit…_ L hid the smile on his face in Light’s arm, “I’ll take it.”

“You’re welcome,” Light pulled L closer to him, his arm around L’s shoulders.

_I like this. I like it when our relationship doesn’t make me angry or bad anxious. This is nice. I don’t remember ever getting this with anyone else. Maybe with Naomi once in a while, but for the most part, we were friends that had sex with each other when there was nothing on TV._ As the two of them got further down the block, L noticed something he didn’t like. _Light’s not normally this quiet,_ “Light? Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, not totally sure how true that was. _Dare I ask? I mean…It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, right? I can indulge him once in a while. And…Well…It’s not like I haven’t thought about it,_ “Hey, L?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been thinking,” Light confessed, “And I’ve been thinking for a while now…”

“I’d hope so,” L teased him a bit.

“I was thinking…” Light glared at him for just a brief second, “Can we…try something?”

“Oh?” L’s heart skipped a beat. _Oh, Light, I can think of several things I’d like to try with you. But let’s see where your initial limits are first,_ “It depends. What did you have in mind?”

“Can we…” Light felt the heat rising in his face, “Go to the Odaiba ferris wheel tonight?”

“Of course,” L settled himself, “I was hoping we’d end up there sometime tonight anyway. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” Light bit his lip, “I was thinking…We could try something…I mean, we’ve already kind of talked about it before…”

That’s when things started to click in L’s head. _Is he asking me what I think he’s asking me? Well, well, Light. Look at you. I might be a voyeur, but I didn’t know we had an exhibitionist between us, too. Interesting._ L put a finger up to Light’s lips, effectively shutting him up, “Say no more…Would you like me to make a dream of yours come true?”

“Yeah…” Light stared down at the sidewalk.

“No,” L picked his head up, forcing his gaze, “We’re going to try that one again. If you’re going to ask me for favors, the least you can do is ask me properly. Now, Light…Would you like me to make your dream come true? With me taking a few creative liberties, that is.”

Light’s heart started racing. He wasn’t sure if it was L’s scolding or his reaction. But Light gladly obliged, “Yes, please.”

“Good…” L cradled his cheek in the palm of his hand, “So…Odaiba ferris wheel? Shall we?”

“Yes, please.”

_You learn quickly, Light. I’m proud of you._ L handed Light his phone, “The top number in my contacts is my driver. He’ll be here in roughly five to ten minutes. Call our car and we’ll go to the ferris wheel. Understand?”

“Yes…” Light nodded.

“Yes, what?” L’s voice dropped an octave in slight annoyance. _Come on, Light. You’re not exactly stupid. Figure this one out._

“Yes…Sir?” he assumed.

_I would’ve taken…You know what? Sir will do,_ “Good enough.”

“No,” Light shook his head, “If there’s something better you want me to call you, then I’ll do it.”

_Oh, his obedience is beautiful. Always so eager to please, aren’t you? As much as it probably doesn’t come from an exactly healthy place, remind me to thank your father later,_ “No. Sir will do.”

“Ok,” Light immediately called the top number in L’s contacts and waited for the car to come. _What am I doing? What am I doing? What am I doing? Am I really allowing this? I know I said L’s had a day, but am I really going to let him…do…that…on the Odaiba ferris wheel?! Well…I can only hope it’s as good as my dream promised. My imagination shouldn’t be writing checks reality can’t cash. Only one way to find out._

The ride between the café and the ferris wheel was not a short one. Light couldn’t even look at L. He knew too much about what would soon be happening. The whole way there, all Light could think about was his dream. The thought of L on him like that only made him worse. And L, catching Light’s inability to sit still out of the corner of his eye, was eating it up. _It’s amazing what kind of lengths you’re willing to go to for me, Light. Especially indulging my exhibitionist side,_ “Light…”

“What?” Light’s voice went up a couple octaves.

“It’s alright, you know,” L took his hand, “I’m going to take a stab in the dirt and say this is the first time you’ve ever done anything like this in such a public place.”

“You’re…Not wrong…” Light admitted.

“It’s ok,” L assured him, “It’s alright if you’re nervous. I was, too.”

“You…” Light thought for a moment or two, “When did you do this?!”

“Mello liked to get adventurous,” L smirked a bit, “And for whatever reason, the dirtier the locale, the better. The first time was in someone else’s incredibly ritzy hotel room when they happened to leave the room. The second was behind a convenience store dumpster. I would take the convenience store dumpster a million times over. Just out of curiosity, you wouldn’t mind doing that at least once, would you?”

“This is already pushing it,” Light giggled nervously. _I don’t think he realized how much I needed that._

“You’ll be fine, Light,” L held his hand as they pulled up to the bottom of the ferris wheel, “Do you trust me?”

“Relatively.”

“I need a yes or no, Light.”

“Yes,” Light nodded, “Why?”

“Because trust is important,” L assured him, “Trust that I know what I’m doing. Trust that I’ll make sure we don’t get caught. Trust that I’ll be able to bring you to the edge and back by the time we get to the top. Trust that everything’s going to be ok.”

“And if it’s not?” Light wondered, “What if something goes wrong?”

“If something goes wrong,” L thought for a moment, “If something goes wrong, you’ll never have to see me again. That doesn’t mean us not still working together. I’d be hard pressed to find a better assistant than you.”

“Thank you.”

“But this?” L went on, “You and me going out like this? Our casual trips when I’m supposed to be working? Me occasionally spoiling you whenever I see fit? That will all end. You will be nothing more to me than someone under my employ and I will be nothing less to you than your boss.”

The hint of sadness in L’s voice broke Light’s heart. And god forbid Light allows that, “L…”

“Yes, Light?”

Light leaned over, kissing L’s cheek, and whispered in his ear, “We’re here.”

“What did I say about that?” L gripped the seat a little tighter, “It’s not nice to tease me like that, Light.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” Light knew exactly what he was doing. And he was starting to learn what kind of effect it had on L.

“I’m about to have your dick in my mouth,” L threatened, “Do you really want to be mouthing off now?”

“No, sir.”

L’s heart skipped a beat. _Oh, do you take to obedience well. Very good, Light. Hmm…You probably have a praise kink, too, but you don’t know about it,_ “Let’s go make your dream and my dream come true.”

“Ok,” Light got out of the car and L followed closely behind. As they approached the ride, Light started sweating. _No. No, no, no. Relax. It’s fine. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing. Clearly, this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this. We’ll be fine._ L paid the man at the operator booth and waited for everyone else to get on the ride behind them.

Carefully, L moved down from the seat to the floor of their car, making sure he was out of sight. To everyone except the one person that mattered. His hands moved to Light’s belt buckle and stopped, “Are you sure this is alright, Light? You’re not doing this just for me?”

“I’m sure,” Light promised, still a bit nervous. But in the best way.

“Not that I’m trying to talk you out of it,” L assured, holding onto Light’s hand as the ride kept making its way up, “But why do you want me to do this?”

“Because…” Light confessed, “I want to know how accurate my imagination is.”

“Alright,” a little smile made its away across L’s face as his fingers continued to fiddle with Light’s belt…then, the button on his jeans…Then…he managed to work Light out of his boxers. _Holy hell, Light,_ “Are you ready?”

“Please…” Light whimpered a bit. L started slowly, softly. The minute L’s tongue made contact, Light had already gone into a spiral. A shallow spiral, but a spiral, nonetheless. _Better…Better than I imagined._ Light felt himself get harder and harder in L’s mouth the more he sucked him down. And L could feel it all the same. Light’s hand went to the back of L’s head, pushing him down a little more, little moans escaping his throat, “Harder…”

“Mmm,” L hummed, indulging Light’s whim. _You are so lucky my gag reflex is almost nonexistent, Light. But fuck…You got one of the best dicks I’ve ever had. Let’s see how far I can take you…_

Light only grew more and more tense, his fingers entangling in L’s hair. His moaning only got louder, “L…”

L pulled Light out of his mouth and put a finger to his lips, “Not too loud, Light…We wouldn’t want anyone knowing what was going on up here, would we?”

“Please…” Light panted, his eyes already rolling back in his head, “Don’t stop…I’ll be quiet. I promise.”

“Good,” L went back to Light, taking in more and more of him, inch by inch. Slower, then faster…Then, even faster.

“L…” Light sighed out, praising his name like a god, “I’m…I’m…Fuck…”

“Mmmhmmmm…” L wasn’t stopping. He knew what Light was trying to tell him. And he sucked even harder and faster. 

“Ahhh…” Light pulled L’s hair, trying not to explode in his mouth, but…Accidents happen. 

After one big gulp, L pulled Light’s dick out of his mouth, wiping his lips on his shirt sleeve. A little smirk stretched across his face, “I’m going to be honest with you, Light. You held out longer than I thought you would. Gold star.”

“What’s…” Light struggled to catch his breath. _It’s been so long…Other than the other night,_ “That was fucking incredible…”

“A thank you would be customary,” L got up from the floor of their car and took the empty seat next to Light, who still sat completely spent, “But I understand. You’re tired. I forgot what it was like taking one to the throat like that.”

“Thank you…” Light laid his head back, “Do you think we could go back to the hotel?”

“Only if you fix yourself,” L bargained, “The operator doesn’t need to get an eyeful of what belongs to me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Light, I don’t swallow for just anyone. That dick is mine.”

Light wasn’t in much of a position to argue. He rebuttoned his jeans and followed L off the ride like nothing happened. When they got back to the car, he did all he could to stay awake. Fortunately, it had gotten considerably late and both L and Light were tired. As they walked into their suite, they parted ways and crawled into bed.

“Um…L?” Light stood in the doorway of L’s bedroom. 

“Light…” L sat up in bed, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine. It’s just…I was wondering…If it’s alright with you…”

L thought for a moment or two. _Is he asking me what I think he is? Only one way to find out._ L moved over, making room for Light on his bed, “Absolutely.”

“Ok,” Light crawled into L’s bed and without another thought, L curled into Light’s chest just like he did the other night. Light leaned down and kissed the top of L’s head, “Good night…”

“Good night,” L shut his eyes, hiding a smile in Light’s ribs. _Hard to believe this morning was my own personal hell. Thank you, Light. For everything._


	25. Goodbye Kisses and Curiosity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you beautiful bitch.
> 
> I'm sorry.
> 
> You're not a bitch.
> 
> You're lovely. 
> 
> Well anyway, how are we doing? How's the water today? Doing well? Not so well? You ready for another chapter? Because I'm ready for another chapter. I got a really good idea for one the other day that got me all spazzy. You'll see soon enough. K love you, bye! x

The next morning, L woke up before Light did. And how happy he was. He didn’t expect to still be in Light’s chest, but he couldn’t be more content with the world. _You really do have that angelic face, don’t you, Light? And it’s only more pronounced when you’re asleep._ L cuddled a little closer into him, shutting his eyes for a brief moment longer. _Do we have to leave? Do I have to go back to Omotesando?_

Light felt L moving on top of him, his eyes opening up. He looked down at the bundle of sleepiness in his shoulder and couldn’t help but smile. _For being a pain in the ass on a regular basis, L’s got his moments where he’s kind of cute,_ “I know you’re awake.”

“Good morning, Light,” L looked up at him, his eyes soft and gentle.

Little did L know, he turned Light into butter. And Light couldn’t help himself. The two of them shared in a delicate kiss. Or two…Or three, “Good morning.”

“You know,” L curled into Light’s ribs, “It’s such a shame.”

“What?” Light wondered.

L hid a smile from him, “It’s a shame that our handcuffs went unused this weekend.”

“L!”

“That’s alright,” L settled him, “I understand. You have your limits. Don’t worry, thought, Light. We’ll work our way up to bondage soon enough.”

“L!” Light’s face turned a bright shade of red.

“Relax,” L giggled a little to himself, “I’m messing with you. Bondage isn’t for everyone. Kink isn’t for everyone. I’m still impressed you let me blow you on the Odaiba ferris wheel last night. I thought I would’ve had to wear you down for another few months before you were ok with us doing things in public.”

“Well,” Light admitted, “If I could be honest, I wasn’t all that ok with it, but once you started, I wasn’t exactly going to say no.”

“I do know what I’m doing,” L promised, kissing Light’s cheek, “You’re welcome.”

“Thank you,” Light bit his lip, holding back a little moan. _No one else ever came that close. Was that because we were on the Odaiba ferris wheel? Was it because we were somewhere public that at any given moment, we could’ve been caught? Was it because L’s mouth was finally put to good use? I may never know. And honestly, I don’t care._

“You know what the true shame is, though?” L thought with an ache in his chest.

“What’s that?” Light ran his fingers down L’s spine, putting L in an unsuspected, yet delightful trance.

“Today’s our last day here,” L sighed out, “Do you think we could do this again?”

“Anytime,” Light allowed, “I’d love to do this again.”

“Of course you would,” L teased, “It wasn’t me getting head on the Odaiba ferris wheel.”

“You never asked,” Light shut his eyes again.

“So,” L wondered, “If I would’ve asked you last night for us to switch positions, you would’ve done it?”

“I’d think about it.”

_Why didn’t you say something last night? Reciprocity isn’t the worst thing in the world. But your willingness now won’t go unappreciated. I’ll have to remember that,_ “I would be more than happy to do that again, too.”

“But you know,” Light pointed out, “There was a positive thing about this morning.”

“What?”

“You,” Light pulled L in a little closer, “didn’t wake up with a panic attack this time around.”

“That’s very true,” L melted inside, “I suppose I was better grounded this morning. I swear, I haven’t slept this good since…”

L knew exactly the last time he slept so well. _You were there that time, too, Light. Maybe you ground me better than I ever expected. Regardless, I’ll take it._ And Light knew all too well, too, “Was it when I stayed with you in Omotesando?”

“I think so…” L cranked his neck back, getting a few more kisses out of Light.

“We could lay here for a little while longer,” Light decided.

“We could lay here for a long while longer,” L offered his rebuttal.

“But we do have to go back eventually…”

“We don’t _have_ to,” L pulled the blankets over them both a little better, “Watari can handle the task force. It’s not like they’re listening to me much anyway. I’m almost a hundred percent positive at least half of them hate me. At least one for sure.”

“Let me guess,” Light figured, “Aizawa?”

“Aizawa.”

“Aizawa doesn’t hate you,” Light held L against his chest, “Aizawa’s just difficult. He doesn’t understand the way your brain works. I remember on some of my first cases where I helped the NPA, Aizawa was quick to write me off, too.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because I was the chief’s teenage son,” Light remembered, “What was I going to know? When I damn near solved the whole thing singlehandedly.”

“I expect nothing less of you, Light,” L gushed, “Simple minds often fear what they can’t and don’t understand. Heaven forbid you make them feel inferior. That’s why I like having you around. You understand and can follow my trains of thought. I’m sure you could also explain these things to the task force like I’m handling a group of five-year olds. Some days, I wonder. But I suppose you’re right. We should be getting back. I’m sure Watari’s worried about me and checking in on the task force wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Not to mention, there’s the new headquarters going up. It should almost be done by now, if not completely done.”

“And I could probably stand to check in at home,” Light thought. _Oh, God…I have to face Sayu when I get home. God knows she’s going to ask every and any question that pops into her head,_ “My mom and my sister are probably in the same boat as Watari. And probably my dad, too, but he trusts me on my own more than they do.”

“Or…” L suggested, “Maybe before we go back…We could go get breakfast first?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Light agreed, “Did you have anywhere specific in mind?”

“Not really,” L laid his head in Light’s lap, holding back a smile. _And good morning to you as well. So, we meet again,_ “I trust your judgment.”

“Ok,” Light moved L onto the bed and started walking toward the bathroom.

But before he could even get off the bed, L grabbed the bottom of Light’s shirt, “Wait…Light, don’t go…Please.”

“Hey,” Light took L’s shaky hand. _What the hell…? I didn’t think he’d be this freaked out. It’s not like I’m leaving without him_ , “I’ll be right back. I promise. If you need me, you know where the bathroom is. Alright?”

“I know,” L’s grip tightened. Not out of anger or bitterness. Not even out of fear. He just didn’t want to have to let go, “But I liked this. I’ve woken up in my own hell many times since I’ve been in Japan, Light. Never once has it been hell waking up with you. And laying like this…Just the two of us without a single care in the world…It’s the first time my brain has ever completely shut itself off. Everything is constantly running and it’s exhausting. Now, I finally get the chance to relax. Please don’t go.”

“L…” Light got down to his level, his grip more assuring, “I’ll just be a few feet away. I promise we’ll be able to go back to that soon. But for now, I’m hungry and the thought of breakfast sounds delightful. You’ll be ok.”

As much as L didn’t want to, he let Light go, “Alright.”

“I won’t be long,” Light gave him one last kiss and stepped into the bathroom. Just before he closed the door, he stuck his head out with a little smirk on his face, “I doubt you’d care to join me.”

“I’ll be fine,” L brushed him off, “Certain things are sacred, Light. Certain things are sacred.”

“Ok.” _Who would’ve thought L had limits? Huh…Color me surprised._

As Light took his shower, L got out of bed and shuffled his way to the nearest coffee pot. _Coffee. Coffee is needed._ L got the pot started and out of nowhere, his phone started to ring. _That’s weird. It’s been quiet for most of the weekend. I almost forgot what it sounded like._ Then, he noticed the name on the screen. _As I suspected,_ “Yes?”

“Good morning, L,” Watari chimed on the other end.

“Good morning,” L got a cup down from the cabinet, “Is everything alright?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Watari admitted, “Everything’s fine here. What about you?”

“I’m fine,” L promised, “But…”

“But?” Watari got nervous, “Lawliet…Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m fine now,” L swore, “But yesterday morning, I got bad.”

“How bad?”

“Bad enough,” L shuddered at the thought of his early morning panic attack. However, in the same breath, he came down with the thought of thick, fluffy pancakes, “Don’t worry, Watari. He handled it. Honestly, the way he handled it was rather impressive.”

“Good,” Watari let out a sigh of relief, “So, when should I expect you back?”

“We’ll be going for breakfast soon,” L figured, “Likely sometime after that.”

“Not that the break isn’t nice,” Watari admitted, “But I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” L’s heart turned into a puddle. Although, he didn’t realize Light had just come out of the bathroom. And caught wind of the conversation.

_Who the hell would he be talking to like that? That voice…It sounds like the same one he uses on me when he’s trying to sweet talk me._ Light came around the corner, “So, breakfast?”

“I need to go,” L cut Watari off, “We’ll talk later.”

“Understood.”

Click.

“Yes, please,” L put his phone in his pocket and the two of them took off. Although, Light still didn’t like the thought of L on the phone with someone else. _Who was it? He gets pissed off whenever I’m showing off a little by the pool. Who’s to say I’m not allowed to get a little jealous once in a while?_ Light shook it off. As much as he could anyway. 

Even when they got to the quiet café down the street from their hotel, Light still hadn’t said much. He couldn’t help but stew in his bitterness. He had been so used to shouldering his burden on his own. _Might as well keep it in._ However, despite his usual lack of ability to pick up someone else’s emotions, L had laser focus when it came to Light. Why? He may never know, but L knew better than to ask.

“Light?” L nudged him under the table, “You’re awfully quiet. Something on your mind?”

“Who were you on the phone with this morning?” Light wondered, “Just before we left.”

“Watari,” L told him. _Is that what’s got him all in a tizzy? Really? You don’t ever have to be jealous of Watari, Light,_ “He just wanted to check in.”

“Everything’s fine,” Light figured, quietly relieved, “It is fine, right?”

“Of course,” L took Light’s hand, “Everything’s wonderful. This whole weekend was. We should do this again.”

“I wouldn’t say no,” Light admitted, “I’d be ok with doing this again. With the exception of yesterday morning.”

“Me, too. Maybe next time, we could go further.”

Light’s stomach dropped a bit, “Define further…”

“Well,” L thought for a moment or two, “It’s a two hour flight from here to Seoul…”

“Korea?” Light gasped, “You’re thinking about Korea?”

“It seemed like baby steps,” L explained, “And being that close would make Watari less nervous. I know he’s nervous right now and we’re within spitting distance. And it’s closer than going home…Although…No. As much as I’d love to, not now. Another time, perhaps. On a completely unrelated note, how’s your French?”

“My French?” Light looked at L like he was on drugs, “Nonexistent. What about yours?”

“Je parle couramment,” L had a dirty, smug grin on his face, “Pourquoi?”

“Alright,” Light brushed him off, “Nobody likes a show off.”

“Are you saying you don’t like me now, Light?” L teased.

“I never said that…”

“Because you certainly liked me last night.”

“Hush,” Light grumbled.

“I’m not sure how many people saw how much you liked me last night…”

“L…”

“But I’m sure a few of them heard it.”

“L…”

“You make some delightful noises, Light.”

“L!” Light’s face only got redder as time went on.

“I’m sorry,” L giggled to himself, “I’ll stop.”

“Thank you,” Light held his face in his hands. _This is him, isn’t it? This is the pain in the ass I’ve managed to saddle myself with. For the time being anyway. I suppose it’s better than the alternative._

“Well?” L finished his coffee and his cinnamon roll, “Shall we? I know Watari’s worried and we really should be getting back. Who knows what the task force has been up to since I’ve been gone? And I really do hope the new headquarters is up.”

“Alright,” Light took L’s hand and helped him onto his feet, “Let’s go home.”

_Believe me. I wish I could. And to make it even better, I wish I could take you with me. But I understand. You have things holding you here. It’d be selfish of me to take you away from that._ L shook off the melancholic thoughts rolling around in his brain and got in the back of the limo with Light following shortly after. Yet, at the same time, the heaviness in his chest made him squirm. _Does this really have to end? All good things, I guess. But…_

“Hey, Light…” L looked across to the other side of the seat.

“Hmm?” Light perked up, “Is everything ok?”

“Come here,” L insisted, “Closer.”

“Ok,” Light slid across the seat, “What is it?”

Without any hesitation, L wrapped his arms around Light’s shoulders and pulled him against his chest, “Thank you…For agreeing to do this with me. I really didn’t want to make this trip alone.”

Light wasn’t quite sure what was going on. Normally, it would be L wrapped up in Light’s arms, but the change in position…Something about it set Light at ease. _What is he doing…? I mean…It’s not like I don’t like it. It’s…Actually kind of nice._ Light laid his head in L’s shoulder, reveling in the strange warmth of his embrace, “Anytime.”

“Anywhere?” L wondered.

“Don’t push it,” Light teased him, “Baby steps.”

“I can do baby steps.” _But one day, you realize we’re going to have to make a bigger jump, right? Why else would I ask about your passport?_

For the rest of the way, Light didn’t leave L’s arms. He didn’t want to. If he wasn’t highly caffeinated, he would’ve fallen asleep. Neither one of them had a single care in the world. L had Light. Light had L. And all was peaceful. At least until the limo pulled up to Light’s house. Then, their moment of pure bliss was over. Even then, they milked it for all it was worth. However, the driver, irritable and checking his watch every few minutes, was starting to lose his patience.

“Well…” L, much to his own chagrin, let Light go, “I’ll see you tomorrow…Right?”

“I’ll be there,” Light promised, “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Always the diligent one, Light,” L pulled him in for one last kiss goodbye, “And by the way, Light…”

“What?” Light stopped, reaching for his bag.

“If you’re going to tell Sayu about what happened,” L understood Light better than Light thought, “Don’t hesitate to use the black card tonight.”

“I won’t,” Light assured him. _Damn…And I thought he was going to ask for that back._

“And…” L added, “Please spare the graphic details. She’s still considerably young and doesn’t need to hear about the ferris wheel.”

“That was the plan,” Light got one more kiss before he got out, “See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.” As Light went back inside his house, L sat in the limo with the worst empty feeling, “Excuse me…?”

“Yes, Mr. Ryuzaki?”

“Do you think you could take me to Nakameguro please?”

“Yes, sir,” the driver nodded, “Would you like me to call Mr. Watari and let him know?”

“No,” L shook his head, “He’ll figure it out.”

When Light finally got inside, he took a quick look around. _Huh…It’s quiet. Almost too quiet. Maybe I won’t have to deal with the hounding from Sayu. It’s a shame. I wouldn’t mind taking her out again. She deserves it._ Light walked upstairs, still managing to keep quiet, and into his room. _Home sweet home. I am going to miss Odaiba, though. That went better than I thought it would. And now, he’s thinking about a flight to Seoul? It’d be a little extreme right now, but why not?_

Creeeak…

Light let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, “Hi, Sayu.”

“Hi,” Sayu stuck her face in the crack, “Did you just get home?”

“Yes…”

“So…?” Sayu wasn’t going to waste any time. Immediately, she jumped on Light’s bed, “How’d it go?!”


	26. Catching Up and a Formal Invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS, HOLY FUCK.
> 
> Ok. Now that I have your attention…You guys, holy fuck…You’re not going to believe what happened in my dreams last night. You know how L and Light were busy on the Odaiba ferris wheel a couple weeks or so ago? Alright, so I had this dream last night that I was doing something with someone (oddly enough, not a Death Note character, but either Alucard from Castlevania or Sephiroth from Final Fantasy. What can I say? I’m a slut for those long haired video game boys.) and when I woke up, I thought my fucking heart was going to explode. I shit you not, my heart was going like I had just ran a mile. Dear god…I’m not going to go into too much detail, but the dirty dreams were aplenty last night. Pure Disney magic, my friends. Pure Disney magic. So, how about I shut up about my dirty dreams and we get into this week’s chapter, ok? X

While Light was hounded by his sister about the events of the weekend, L went back to the hotel with the worst empty feeling in his chest. _I hope the new headquarters is up. That way, I’ll never have to deal with this again. Hopefully. I need to convince Light to say yes first. There’s no way he won’t. Still…I miss him._ L shook off his sadness as the driver pulled up to the front door of his hotel. _Well…Home sweet home._

L took the elevator to one of the upper floors, following along with the gentle music playing overhead. _Maybe if I take a quick nap, I’ll be alright again. Sleep is nothing if not the body’s reset button, right? That seems to be the case. Usually._ When he pushed his door open, L wanted nothing more than to ball up on his couch and shut his eyes for a little while. He took a quick look around and found his guiding light at the island in the kitchenette.

“Watari…” L shuffled his bare feet across the floor, “I’m back.”

“Hello, L,” Watari put the case file down and turned his attention toward the tired bundle of joy in the chair, “How was your weekend? Everything you hoped for?”

“The anxiety attack yesterday morning wasn’t exactly hoped for,” L hid a smile in the arm of the chair, “I was bad, Watari…But…”

“But?”

“Light handled it beautifully,” L’s heart cracked a bit, remembering _why_ Light could handle it the way he did, “And afterward, he made me pancakes. Damn, were they good…”

“Sounds like you had a good time,” Watari assumed.

“I did,” L nodded, “I like spending time with him, Watari. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why I like spending time with Light. All I know is that…I just do. There is no reason. There has to be somewhere. I’m just not getting it.”

“You seem to be falling quickly, Lawliet…” Watari explained.

“No,” L brushed him off, “I don’t think I’d go that far. With the others…It was so different. I don’t get it. What makes Light so damn special? I mean…The Odaiba ferris wheel was one thing…”

“The Odaiba ferris wheel?” Watari wondered, well aware of L’s appreciation for high places, “What does the Odaiba ferris wheel have to do with anything?”

Meanwhile, across town, Light realized quickly that mistakes were made. Particularly telling his sister about his side of the story, “THE ODAIBA FERRIS WHEEL?!”

“Keep it down, Sayu!” Light snapped as they turned the corner into an alley near their house, “We’re in public!”

“So were you,” Sayu teased, turning her voice down, “You and L were screwing around on the Odaiba ferris wheel?”

“Sort of,” Light elaborated, “I wasn’t doing much. But that was ok. One of us had to keep watch.”

“So, L’s the one that does all the work?” Sayu thought, “Huh. Honestly, I didn’t think you had PDA in you, Light. I’m impressed. Color me surprised.”

“Sayu!” Yes. Light quickly realized he had made a mistake. _But if I didn’t tell her, she’d only be annoying for the next few days and that would mean either Mom or Dad getting involved. Eventually anyway,_ “The nitty-gritty details of it are not your business.”

“I understand,” Sayu backed off, “But you let me in, Light. Don’t get mad at me because I decided to wipe my feet off on the rug.”

“I know, I know,” Light settled himself, “I needed to vent and you’re the only person I can do that with.”

“Flattered.”

“But Odaiba…” Light sighed out, “Odaiba was truly something else. I didn’t think it was going to be as good of a time as what it was, but damn…It was needed.”

“Would you go as far to say you’d do it again?” she wondered, “Without changing a thing?”

“I wouldn’t say without changing a thing.” _We both could’ve lived without L’s panic attack. And with him getting pissed off because I decided to give him a show. But the aftermath of both those things? I could do that again,_ “But without a doubt, I’d gladly go back to Odaiba with him. It felt like it didn’t last long enough. He was actually talking about us taking another trip soon.”

“Really?” Sayu grabbed the door as the two of them walked back inside, “And where is he taking you now?”

“Nowhere for now,” Light hushed her, “But he was thinking about us going to Seoul.”

“SOUTH KOREA?!” she gasped, “He’s already thinking about international travel?”

“He’s been thinking about international travel, Sayu,” he pointed out, “Do you not remember when he came over for dinner and blatantly said he wanted to take me back to the UK with him?”

“Oh, yeah,” Sayu smiled, “I remember that.”

“That’s still unwavering, too,” Light remembered, the two of them walking back upstairs to his room, “He told me he wanted to take me back to London with him so badly. I bet if he had his way, our next trip wouldn’t be Korea and it’d be England.”

“What if he did?” Sayu threw herself on Light’s bed, “What if he were to ask you tomorrow if you wanted to go to London? Would you say yes?”

“I’m not sure,” Light thought it over, “I’d consider it for a second, but whether or not I’d say yes is still up in the air.”

“What would he have to do to get you to say yes?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “I think we’d have to be closer in order for me to consider traveling that far on a whim.”

“I don’t think it’d be totally on a whim,” Sayu figured, “If L’s been thinking about taking you to London for this long, he has to have been planning it. Even if it’s just a little bit.”

“I don’t know,” Light joined her, “I look at his itineraries every day, Sayu. All day. I’ve never seen London plans in them once.”

“L doesn’t strike me as the day planner type.”

“He’s not,” Light explained, “But I am. That’s how I keep track of everything he does in a day.”

“You are one of the most type A people I’ve ever met, Light,” Sayu laid her head on her brother’s shoulder, “That’s for sure.”

“Sure, he exhausts me,” Light held back a smile, “But it’s a little late for me to quit now.”

“You wouldn’t quit on him,” Sayu teased, “I think you like him.”

“I do like him,” Light admitted, “There’s no sense in dancing around it anymore. If I hated the guy, this weekend never would’ve happened. If I hated him, the Odaiba ferris wheel wouldn’t have the memories it does now. If I hated him, I wouldn’t have taken care of him when…Well…”

“Excuse me?” Sayu sat up, “When what, Light?”

“I know I said the ferris wheel incident was none of your business, Sayu,” Light bit his tongue, “But there are certain things about this weekend that are _really_ none of your business. It was how Saturday morning started. That’s all you need to know.”

“What?” she asked, “Did you two get a little too spicy and someone ended up pulling something that would’ve been awkward to explain in the emergency room?”

“It’s not that,” Light brushed her off, “It wasn’t anything dirty.”

“Ok…” Sayu let it go, “Oh! And by the way…”

“What?”

L shot a strange look at Watari, “Mail? Here?”

“Yes,” Watari handed him the dark red envelope.

“I didn’t know people still sent mail,” L ran his finger under the seal, “I’m sure this could’ve been sent electronically.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Watari sat back down across from L, “It’s from the NPA.”

“This better be a check,” L grumbled. _I’m not getting paid enough for what I have to deal with on a day to day basis. Near’s therapy bills and his university tuition are piling up. I mean, it’s not like I’m ever struggling, but it’d be nice to be able to spend my money on my things for a change. Like Light. It’s the little things that make me happy._ However, to L’s disappointment, there wasn’t a check in the envelope like he hoped, “An invitation?”

“What’s it for?” Watari asked.

“The NPA ball next week,” L threw the invitation on the coffee table, “Hard pass.”

“Really?” Watari skimmed L’s disappointment, “I think you should go. I don’t see any reason why you can’t.”

“Why would I go?” L dangled his legs over the arm of his chair, “I could just send you in my place. It’s not like anyone outside the task force knows what I look like. For all the NPA knows, you’re me.”

“It’s good for you to get out and unwind a little, Lawliet,” Watari nudged him along, “I don’t always have to be your proxy.”

“I just came back from being out and unwinding,” L argued, “Wasn’t that what this past weekend was about?”

“I know,” Watari agreed, “But this isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

“Still,” L rolled into the back of the chair and shut his eyes for a brief moment, “Hard pass. I’d rather stay here for the night. You’re more than welcome to go in my place.”

Watari knew L would turn his nose up at something like this. Deep down, he always knew. However, that meant he’d occasionally have to play dirty. _He likes to pretend like I don’t know,_ “The task force was here yesterday.”

“That’s wonderful, Watari,” L groaned, just as disinterested.

“Mr. Yagami and I were discussing the NPA ball,” he went on, catching L’s attention.

“Were you?” L perked up.

“He and his wife will be attending,” Watari knew he was playing dirty, but he also knew how to work L, “As will their daughter…and their son.”

“Really?” L’s heart stopped. He tried his best to play it off, “Isn’t that nice…”

“I’m sure you could skip this one,” Watari got up from his chair, well aware that his work was done. 

_Dammit, Watari…_ L didn’t like where this was going, but that didn’t keep him from turning around. Just as L was about to confirm or deny is invitation, his phone started ringing. _Oh, thank God,_ “Watari, where’s my phone?”

“Over here,” Watari handed L his phone, the caller ID saying the number was unknown, “Do you need to take it?”

“Yes,” L got up from his chair and walked into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Finally, the smile he had been holding back could come out, “Hello, Light.”

“Hi,” Light melted a little inside.

“Is everything alright?” L worried, “You sound stressed.”

“Not really stressed,” Light flipped a dark red envelope between his fingers, “Did you get an invitation from the NPA recently?”

“As a matter of fact,” L admitted, “I did. What about you?”

“Yeah,” Light tossed it aside, still internally torn, “Just…Out of curiosity…Were you thinking about going to that?”

“With the way Watari was talking,” L laid on his bed, “I have no choice. What about you?”

“I’ll be going, too,” Light assured him, “At least I know I’ll be in good company.”

“You sound just as enthused about it as I am,” L chuckled under his breath.

“I’m used to it,” Light shrugged him off, “It’s not my first NPA ball. Probably not my last either.”

“You know, Light,” L suggested, “Since we’re both going to be on the same sinking ship…Maybe we could…Go together.”

“Together?” Light’s heart stopped. _What the hell is he playing at? Or maybe he’s not playing at anything. Maybe…Maybe he’s just asking me. Maybe he’s never had an angle since the beginning,_ “When you say together…Are you talking professionally together or privately together?”

“I don’t know,” L stared into the ceiling, “How about a mixture of both? Would that be so terrible?”

“I…” _He’s really just asking me to the NPA ball._ This was the first time Light didn’t feel any of L’s ulterior motives. Nothing but pure innocence, “Ok.”

“Ok,” L felt a lightness in his chest. One that he never wanted to go away. _Thank you, Light…I really don’t want to go to this, but if you’re going to be there, maybe it won’t be so bad._

“So,” Light played with his invitation, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I may be a little late,” L thought it over, “I have a meeting I need to attend, but if I am, I’ll need you to take my place.”

“What?” Light gasped, “Really?”

“Yes,” L nodded, “I know you’ll be able to, Light. Every day, when the task force meets, you’re the second smartest person in the room. And a close second.”

“Who’s the…” Light stopped himself, already answering his own question. _What a narcissist,_ “Never mind. Will you at least be in tomorrow?”

“Yes,” L promised, “I’ll see you soon…”

“You can count on it.”

Click.

Light couldn’t keep a smile off his face if he wanted to. Even Sayu’s curiosity couldn’t get him down, “Light…”

“What, Sayu?”

“What’s that face all about?” Sayu wondered, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you fell in love or something.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” _Not yet anyway. We’ll see Friday night,_ “But I think I just got a date for the NPA ball.”

“L?” Watari peeked into L’s room, worried about the pale, stony look on his face, “Are you alright?”

“Hmm?” L snapped out of his headspace, “Yes...Yes, I’m fine…I need crepes.”

“Would you like me to make you some?”

“That’s fine,” L shot him down, getting out of bed, “It’s like you said, Watari. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if I got out once in a while. There’s a crepe stand a couple blocks down. I’ll be right back.”

Before Watari could tell him no, L was already in the elevator, taking it down to the lobby. _It’s the strangest thing. I didn’t expect the NPA ball to even be a thing. But…I have a…date to the NPA ball. And it’s Light. When I landed in Japan a couple months ago, I had one thing in mind. Solving this case. But…Now, I have only one thing on my mind…Do you see what you’ve done to me, Light Yagami? Because now, you’re my date to the NPA ball…_


	27. Secret Meetings and the New Headquarters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies of the internet. How are we today? Because I…If we’re being honest, I feel like garbage. It’s all sinus bullshit and allergy bullshit. It sucks. But I’ll manage. More importantly, a chapter we’ve all been waiting for. It’s going to be a very L centric chapter this week. And I already love it. Now, I’m going to shut up and you can get on with…Well, with this. K? Love you x

Monday afternoon, Light had gone to work like any other day. However, he still had his weekend with L on the brain. Particularly the incident on the Odaiba ferris wheel. _I still can’t believe he…Did that. Right there. Right on the ferris wheel for the world to see. I don’t even know if anyone saw, but someone had to. I mean…We were right there! It’d be hard to miss someone getting…that…_ Light knew he was a prude. And he didn’t have a problem with it. However, he didn’t know if he’d be able to get used to exhibitionism like that. _And now, I have to go into his hotel with the entire task force there. I’m sure they’ll ask how this weekend went. How the hell am I supposed to keep that to myself?_

When Light got to the hotel, Watari stood at the door with a car running up front. _What the hell…? What’s this all about? There’s no way L’s already taking us to Seoul,_ “Hi, Watari.”

“Hello, Light,” Watari gave him a courteous smile, “I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m doing here.”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “What’s going on? Is everything ok?”

“L sent me to get you,” Watari settled him, “Everything’s fine. We will no longer be using this hotel as our regular meeting place. Our new headquarters has been finished since Saturday.”

“Ok,” Light relaxed, “That’s fine. Is L in the car then?”

“I’m not sure where L is right now, to be honest with you,” Watari admitted, “Last I heard anything, he said he was going to meet up with a contact in Aoyama.”

_L did say he might be a bit late to work today. But he also said he’d be there. Still…Who would he know in Aoyama?_ Light shook it off, “Alright. I’m looking forward to seeing the new headquarters. How is it?”

“It’s something special,” Watari got the car door for Light and slid in next to him, “Are you ready?”

“Let’s go.”

Meanwhile, across town, Sayu was just getting out of class, ready to call it a day. _I thought that would never end. It’s only for another couple months and then, we can pretend like school never happened. Hopefully. But I doubt To-Oh’s going to take me. Not that I’m really aiming for it. I don’t need another school where everyone expects me to be my brother._ As Sayu started walking home, a large man called out to her.

“Excuse me, Miss Yagami…”

“Um…” Sayu wasn’t sure what to think of him. Although, she did have a flashlight in her backpack easily accessible in case she needed to disorient him, “Can I help you?”

“I’m here to retrieve you.”

“If you say so…” Sayu kept walking. _What a creep._

“Mr. Ryuzaki sent me,” the man got her to stop, “He said I should offer you candy in order for you to come quietly.”

“Mr. Ryu…” Sayu thought for a moment or two, her situation suddenly dawning on her. _Oh! That’s right! I forgot I had a date with my brother’s boyfriend this afternoon._ Sayu followed the man back to the limo, “I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“That’s understandable, ma’am,” he bowed to her, getting the door for her, “Shall we?”

“Ok!” Sayu climbed into the back of L’s limo, reveling in the moment. _Wow. L knows how to ride in style. That’s for sure. And this is what Light’s getting every day? I wonder if L has a younger brother that’s into girls._ She watched out the window as the world went by. _Aoyama? What would we be doing in Aoyama?_

The driver pulled up to the front of a café and let Sayu out of the car, “This is where we part ways. I’ll be back in an hour to take you home.”

“Ok,” Sayu nodded, walking inside. _Huh…It’s a cute place, but I still don’t understand. What am I doing here?_

“Hello, Sayu,” a familiar voice greeted her, putting her more at ease.

“Hi, L,” Sayu smiled sweetly. She sat down in the empty seat across from L, “It’s the weirdest thing. For a second, I thought you were having me kidnapped.”

“I don’t have people kidnapped,” L assured her, “Not under normal circumstances anyway. No. This is more or less for me to ask you a few questions I have about your brother.”

“Ok,” she agreed, “Fire away. I’m pretty much an open book.”

“About his last ex,” L cut right to the chase, “I’d like a name.”

“Oh,” Sayu had a feeling where this one was going. However, she remembered things about Light’s last ex that she’d rather forget, “Light doesn’t count him.”

“I’m not talking about Mikami,” L clarified, “I know about Mikami.”

“He told you about Mikami?” _Wow, Light. I thought you wanted Mikami to suffocate in your suppressed memories. Neat._

“Yes.”

“Even…” Sayu’s stomach turned, “Even the window thing?”

“The window thing?” L wondered, “No. He didn’t tell me that. What happened? He didn’t do something cheesy like holding a boombox over his head, did he?”

“I wish,” Sayu shuddered, “Mikami found out where we lived. He picked the lock on Light’s bedroom window. Or so he thought. Ugh…”

L knew he wasn’t good at picking up context clues from other people. It was one of those things he came to terms with long ago. But one would have to be completely blind to not see what Sayu wasn’t saying, “He was at yours instead, wasn’t he, Sayu?”

“Mom and Dad were out of town for the weekend,” Sayu remembered, trying her best to not violently throw up, “It was just Light and me at home. We had just gone to bed. I heard some noises on the roof, but I didn’t think anything of it. I thought it was a branch that fell loose on the house, so I went to sleep. Then…”

Sayu got quiet. And the silence got to L, “It’s alright if you don’t want to continue. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No,” Sayu shook her head, “But he did lay in bed with me for a few minutes before he realized I wasn’t Light. I was too little to be Light.”

_Yikes,_ “Did you press charges?”

“No,” she went on, “But Light punched him. He bled…profusely. And that was the end of that…relationship, if that’s what you want to call it. Light doesn’t even call him an ex.”

“He’s the awkward one night stand he slept with to get off his back,” L knew all about Mikami. _I’ve only dealt with him a couple times. He didn’t seem like the type to get so obsessive. Not like that anyway._ The thought of Light in a relationship with Mikami made L’s blood boil. But in his next breath, he calmed himself down. _Not in front of her. She doesn’t need to deal with that_ , “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been hard on both of you.”

“Yeah,” Sayu nodded, “But we managed. I’m not sure if Light has a restraining order on him or not.”

_He will. Don’t you worry, Sayu. I’ll make sure of that,_ “But Mikami wasn’t the ex I was talking about.”

“I kind of figured,” Sayu twiddled her fingers.

“The one before Mikami,” L requested, “I need to know her name. Light may be under his NDA, but you’re not. Right?”

“I don’t think so,” Sayu assumed, “I never signed anything. By the way, beautiful loophole.”

“Thank you,” L gave her a nod, “It’s part of the job. No better way to know the legal system than to find all the ways you can cheat it to actually work for you. Now, what was her name, Sayu?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Sayu bit her lip, “Sorry.”

“I thought you weren’t under an NDA like Light was.” _Come on, Sayu. You were my only hope here. It’s not like I can ask your father. He’d want to know why I was so curious about his son’s dating history. The idea is to be under the radar._

“I’m not,” she confirmed, “But if I were to tell you, Light would know it was me who told you. He’d kill me. Not to mention, he’d know you were pumping me for information.”

“It could be our little secret,” L suggested, “Please, Sayu.”

“I’m not telling,” Sayu kept a tight lip.

_Stubborn one, aren’t you? I know someone else like that, too. And you two just happen to share a last name,_ “I do know she was incredibly famous.”

“She _is_ incredibly famous,” she sighed out, “And that’s what the NDA was for. This isn’t exactly something people could keep to themselves.”

“Fine,” L let it go. _I will find out. Whether or not I find out from you is still up in the air, but I am going to find out sooner or later,_ “Then, could I ask you some questions about their relationship? Keeping her name out of it, of course.”

“I don’t see why not,” Sayu allowed, “I don’t know much for the nitty-gritty details. Those are things you’d have to ask Light about. Go ahead.”

“When she and Light were together,” L began, turning this into its own investigation, “Did you bond with her at all?”

“Not really,” Sayu thought back, “I was usually too starstruck to hang around her.”

_Idol culture really is something,_ “So, she really was as famous as people keep telling me.”

“Big time,” she nodded, “But…When she was with Light…Light wasn’t her boyfriend. Light was her accessory. And she hardly even brought him out. She practically used him. And it makes me sick.”

“So I’ve heard,” L cringed, “He doesn’t deserve that.”

“No,” Sayu agreed, “He doesn’t. He really doesn’t.”

“So, if he deserves better,” L thought, “And…Well…Anything’s an improvement over the last two which makes my chances even better, how do I work Light?”

“You’re asking me for an instruction manual on my brother?” Sayu looked at him strange. 

“Not a full instruction manual,” L admitted, “Just enough to keep some of the mystery in the relationship. There are things I’d be ok with finding out on my own. Maybe more of a pamphlet than a manual.”

“Once you know how to do it,” Sayu explained, “It’s really not that difficult. Light is a simple creature.”

_I beg to differ,_ “Is he?”

“Yeah,” Sayu giggled to herself, “Really. He is. If you’re really looking for advice on how to win Light over…”

“I am.” _Or I probably never would’ve asked you here._

“Play a little rough with him,” Sayu began, “A little can go a very long way with him. I’m not saying to full on beat him. He’s had plenty of that. But poking and prodding on occasion? Helpful.”

“What else?” L started taking mental notes wherever he could. _Whip, flogger, riding crop, no. Lightly with the belt, yes,_ “Hold on. Do you know if Light has a praise kink or not?”

“A full on praise kink?” Sayu thought it over, “I don’t know. I do know that compliments will definitely fall on deaf ears. He’s been getting those for as long as we can both remember, so chances are, he’s going to think they’re empty compliments and move on. Or he’ll go on an ego trip and nobody wants that. When Light’s ego goes unchecked, that’s when the world falls into chaos.”

_So, keep an eye on Light’s ego,_ “What else?”

“I bet with a little bit of praise,” Sayu figured, “He’ll be yours. Light is definitely the kind of person where a little of anything can go a long way. A little love and he’s the most wonderful person to be around. A little power and he’ll turn into a megalomaniac. A little time in hell and he’ll come out the other side ruling the place. Am I making any sense?”

“So, give him an inch and he’ll take a mile?”

“That’s it in a nutshell.”

“You know, Sayu,” L admitted, “There’s a good chance that I might like you.”

“You’re not all that bad either,” Sayu smiled, melting inside. _Oh, Light. If you don’t snap this one up, I might have to. Granted, he’s probably too old for me, but I might be able to make an exception. He may not be conventionally sweet, but he’s willing to go through these lengths just so he doesn’t screw things up with you. You really need to give him a shot._

“Just out of curiosity,” L wondered, “Are you going to be at the NPA ball, too?”

“Probably,” Sayu dangled her feet under her chair, “Why?”

“Just curious.” _Because if things go sideways with Light or if Light’s not in the immediate vicinity when I need him, it’ll be good to have someone as a backup. I can’t think of anyone better._ L got up from his chair, “I really do need to be going. I have work to do and I’m sure Light can only handle the task force for so long on his own.”

“We should do this again,” Sayu insisted, “It’s fun to occasionally gush about my brother and share some of his dirty little secrets.”

“I’d like that.” _Oh, yes. You and I are going to be close friends, Sayu. I can feel it._

“Here,” Sayu took L’s phone from his hand and tapped her fingers all over the screen only to hand it back in the next breath, “If you have a Light question, you have my number and we can do this all over again.”

“Thank you, Sayu,” L shoved his phone back in his pocket, “You’ve been most helpful. Would you like a ride home?”

“I’ll be alright,” Sayu assured him, “I got my train pass. Go. Go make sure he’s doing ok.”

_I don’t ever doubt that._ L left Sayu at the café and got in his limo. The driver turned around and checked the backseat, “Excuse me, Mr. Ryuzaki…”

“Yes?”

“Is Miss Yagami not coming? You told me she…”

“I know what I told you,” L cut him off. _I don’t ever have to worry about either one of them. It’s strange. I’ve never had a sister before, but I think I might like this one_ , “But she’s elected to take the train home. She’ll be fine.”

“Am I taking you to headquarters then?”

“Yes.”

The quiet ride to the new task force headquarters building put L at ease. Along with his conversation with Sayu. _She’s definitely something else. I can tell why she’s so close with Light. She’s gentle, but not too gentle. Maybe I should take the same approach with him. No…She said to play rough with him. If I do that, he’s mine. I’m still curious about who the one before Mikami was. I wonder if I could hack into his office records and find out his client list. He has to have a record of that somewhere._

L walked in through the front door of the brand new headquarters building, feeling strangely at ease. _Home sweet home away from home._ He pressed the intercom button near the front door, “Watari…?”

“Yes?” Watari’s voice barked back from the box.

“Could you bypass the security protocols?” L requested, “It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted. I don’t have it in me to deal with them today. You know it’s me. I’m completely alone. I don’t have any wiretaps on me.”

“I know,” Watari checked the security panel and pushed the override button, “You’re cleared.”

“Thank you.” Without another thought, L walked through the front door in the new headquarters with a slight smile on his face. _Yes. Home sweet home away from home._ The rest of the task force was spread out through the main room. Some were skimming through investigation files. Some were checking monitors. But most importantly, Light was overseeing everything. _I’m so proud of you._

“Welcome back, L,” Watari greeted him.

“It’s good to be back,” L threw himself in one of the desk chairs and rode it to the monitors.

“Welcome back,” Light smiled, melting L to his very core.

“Thank you,” L bit the inside of his cheek, “Light…Do you think I could have a word with you?”

“Actually, Ryuzaki,” Soichiro stepped in, “As much of a help as Light has been, we really could use your opinions.”

“I don’t work with opinions,” L clarified, “Most of my thoughts are fact. The occasional hypothesis, but more often than not…”

“Uzai…” Aizawa mumbled under his breath.

“Did you say something, Mr. Aizawa?” L wondered, fully aware of the curses coming out of Aizawa’s mouth.

“It’s nothing,” Aizawa let it go. 

“Now, Light?” L insisted, “May I have a word with you please?”

“Sure,” Light agreed. As if he’d ever say no. He followed L upstairs.

L took one last look around, making sure no one was watching…and stole a quick kiss, “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Light giggled a bit, “What was that all about?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” L assured him, “What do you think? I told you the new headquarters would be better than the hotel.”

“It’s incredible,” Light awed, “But the hotel had a certain charm to it, too.”

“We could always revisit the hotel,” L promised, “Any time you’re ready to leave again, I’d be more than happy to. Have you had a chance to explore the tower?”

“Not really,” Light reported, “I’ve mostly been making sure things still get done while you’re gone.”

“Thank you.”

“Where were you anyway?” Light wondered, “I know you said you might be late, but I didn’t think you’d be this late.”

“I had to follow up on a meeting,” L stayed cryptic. _Something tells me you wouldn’t take very kindly to me saying I was having coffee with your sister. Especially after hearing some of the things she told me._ L studied Light’s face. The same face he had seen a million times over. The same face he’d never get tired of looking at. _It’s hard to believe you punched Mikami for the sake of your sister. Then again, I also didn’t have Mikami pegged as a possessive pervert._

“How’d it go?” Light asked.

“As well as I could’ve expected,” L told him, slipping his hand in Light’s, “You know, Light…I’d love to show you my unit.”

“That’s a little forward of you, don’t you think?” Light teased, “I mean, I’m a little classier than that. Don’t you think you should buy me dinner first?”

“The innuendo wasn’t totally lost on me,” L shook his head, holding back a smile. _Oh, Light…You’ve been in my mouth. You seem to forget that_ , “Not _that_ unit. If you wanted to later, I wouldn’t say no. But I digress.”

“I know,” Light pulled him a little closer, “I know what you meant. Yeah. I’d love to.”

“It’s just up here,” L brought Light to the end of the long hallway where a set of double doors waited for them. 

“This isn’t it,” Light figured, shooting a quick glance at L, “Is it?”

“This is my unit,” L pushed the door open. It didn’t look much different than his hotel room in Omotesando. Only this was a grander scale. 

_Of course it’s bigger than his suite in Omotesando. Because heaven forbid L lives in squalor,_ “This…Is definitely something.”

“Light…” L pulled on his shirt sleeve out of nervous habit, “You do know…All you have to do is say the word and this could be yours, too.”

“I know,” Light knew that conversation would be coming quickly. Now that the new headquarters stood in one piece, the question of whether or not Light would take one of the many empty rooms was bound to come up. _This is definitely an upgrade from where I live now. Hell, it’s even an upgrade from the old apartment. I’m sure she’d love something like this. But it’s going to take some soul searching. Would we even be ready for something like that? We’ve spent one weekend together…And then, there was that one night I stayed with him in Omotesando. And those have been some of the best nights I’ve had in such a long time,_ “Let me think it over.”

“Ok,” L knew better than to push him. However, Sayu’s words of wisdom came to mind. _Is this one of those instances where I could play a little rough? Just enough to get him to my side? It’s worth a shot,_ “We’ll talk about it after the NPA ball in depth. Is that alright with you?”

“That’s fine.” L’s answer caught Light by surprise. _Huh…I didn’t think he’d be so cool with that. I can’t help but wonder what kind of strings are going to come along later._

“Good,” L got to thinking, the NPA ball hanging over his head. Then, he looked over his favorite piece of art, “Hey, Light?”

“Hmm?”

“Come with me,” L took him by the hand and brought him back downstairs, “Watari, we’re going out.”

“Alright,” Watari allowed, “Be safe.”

“Wait,” Light stopped him just outside the door, “Where are we going?”

“You and I are going to go see a tailor.” _Because if I can’t see your ass from space at that NPA ball, I’ll get cranky. And I’m sure the last time you did this, it was because of her. We can’t have that, can we? Let’s be honest. I can’t have that. I won’t have that._


	28. Past and Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there…
> 
> How are you?
> 
> Hanging in there?
> 
> By a thread? By a rope? By a clothing hanger? Helium balloon? Yeah, me, too. Could be worse. You could be sick, too. But you know what’s neat? This week’s chapter. This week’s chapter may be one of my favorites. Why, you may ask? Oh…You didn’t? You’d rather find out for yourself? I know. I know. But this is going to be the beginning of the NPA ball arc. Yes. There’s going to be an arc. And it’s already about three chapters or so long, so buckle the fuck up, babes. It’s going to be a shit show. K? Love you x

Few things could truly make Light uneasy to the point of nausea. Exam days. When his father comes home late. Thoughts of dying. But the one that truly got to him? Everyday tasks that the average person wouldn’t think twice about, but they’d put Light into vivid flashbacks of his exes. This one in particular. _Why? Why did we have to do this today? One minute, I’m doing actual work, leading the task force, getting something productive done…And now, this._

“L…” Light spoke softly. A habit he’s picked up while talking to him in public, “What are we doing here?”

“I already told you,” L explained, holding the door for Light. Not because he’s a gentleman. Oh, no. But to admire the view. _I really do need to send a fruit basket to the Yagami household. To think, one night with no protection was all it took._ L snapped out of his headspace, “We needed to see a tailor. Nothing more, nothing less. Merely employing his services.”

“Ok,” Light let out a little sigh of relief. _Maybe this trip isn’t for me. Honestly, if it wasn’t for me, that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, would it?_

“Light,” L wondered, “When was the last time you went shopping for yourself?”

Light’s good feeling was gone, “The last thing I bought for myself was the coffee I got this morning.”

“And you didn’t even pay for it.” Not that L was complaining.

“What do you mean?” Light scoffed, “Yeah, I did.”

“I get notifications when my black card gets used, Light,” L held back a smirk on his face, “I bought your coffee this morning.”

“But going shopping like this?” Light brushed him off, “It’s been a while.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” L treaded lightly, “Have you since your last major breakup?”

“No…” Light confessed, his stomach turning, “If we’re being honest, this used to be a regular thing for us.”

“Really?”

“Most of what’s in my closet is custom,” Light went on, his voice turning bitter, “Because God forbid I didn’t match her aesthetic. All the time. Every second of every day until there’s almost nothing left of me.”

“Light,” L pulled him off to the side, gently kissing his lips. Just enough to get him to calm down, “I’m sorry she did that to you. If it’s any compensation, I was going to let you make your own decisions. Consider this your catharsis for all the times you did this with her and wanted to tell her to fuck off…Ok?”

Light started to relax, “On one condition.”

“What’s that?” At this point, L was giving Light a blank check he didn’t know about. _I’ll give you the world, if that’s what you want, Light. And you know I will without a problem._

“I mean…” a light shade of pink washed over Light’s face, “Maybe…Another kiss wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Gladly,” L gave Light one more kiss…and another…and another…and another, just to be on the safe side, “How about that? Is that better?”

“Kind of,” Light hid a smile from L, “Maybe just one more?”

“Light,” L scolded him, “We still have other things to do.”

“Fine,” Light caved. Only to be caught off guard by his own request, “Other things to do, huh?”

“Call me self-indulgent,” L smirked, “Any more of that and I may have to take you back to Odaiba.”

Light felt his jeans get tighter out of reflex, “Really?”

“Maybe after the NPA ball,” L thought, “Something to put on the back burner. But first, we need to shed your ex from you.”

“What do you mean?” Light wondered.

“You think I’m taking you to the NPA ball with her visions wrapped around you?” L rolled his eyes, “I don’t think so.”

Light would never admit it out loud, but L had a point. _Maybe this will be cathartic. As weird as it may seem, this could really be a good way for me to move on. She did always do this for me. And now, I finally get to take the lead. I don’t have to worry about stepping on her toes. I don’t have to worry about setting her off._ And for the first time in three years and four months, Light finally felt free. _Thank you, L…For everything._

“Excuse me,” L pulled the tailor aside.

“Yes, Mr. Ryuzaki?”

“Whatever he chooses,” L ordered, his voice hardly above a whisper, “Take an inch in at his thigh.”

“Of course, sir,” he obliged with no questions asked.

“What about you?” Light thumbed through the racks.

“What about me?” L asked.

“I don’t get to see you parading around today?” Light teased.

“I’m already taken care of,” L pointed out, “I don’t need to do this.”

“You do know…” Light assured him, “I have plenty in my closet, right?”

“And it’s all from her?”

“Or I haven’t looked at it since I was thirteen,” Light giggled to himself, finding an empty dressing room.

“Yikes,” L cringed, “It doesn’t hurt to indulge yourself once in a while, Light.”

“Not all of us can be indulgent on a whim,” Light retaliated.

“And not all of us have that excuse anymore,” L argued, “You’re well overdue.”

“You think so?”

“I do.” When Light came out of his dressing room, L did his best to hide his excitement, “Perfect.”

“I don’t know,” Light mulled it over, trying to stretch his pants a little more, “It’s awfully tight.”

“Trust me,” L swore, catching a better look from a different angle. _Abso…fucking…lutely,_ “I’d never steer you wrong, Light. That one.”

“Really?” Light chuckled a bit, “I try on one suit and it’s already the one?”

“Yes,” L wasn’t a big fan of shopping around. The sooner this kind of thing could be done, the better. However, the fact that this was for Light made it an easier pill to swallow. _And damn, do you pull that off nicely,_ “Light, pick a color.”

“Any color?” Light wondered.

“Black, silver, gold, or platinum?” L pulled his wallet out of his pocket with the greatest joy in his heart.

“I don’t know,” Light grumbled. _I should’ve known he wasn’t talking about my suit,_ “Which one is the color of pretention?”

“Platinum, it is,” L decided, throwing his credit card on the counter.

“Would you still like your special instructions, Mr. Ryuzaki?” the tailor asked, happily swiping said card.

“No need,” L assured him, “It’s fine.”

“Yes, sir,” he gave L a nod and his credit card back, “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Likewise.”

L and Light got in the back of L’s limo where Light used L’s shoulder as a pillow the whole way home, content and exhausted for the day. And L didn’t want to let him go. _I hate this…Why do you have to go home, Light? Why do you have to leave me? Why can’t this last just a little while longer? I don’t ask for much in life, but I don’t want you to go._ L watched out the window as the Yagami house came into their view.

“You know, Light…” L bit his lip, “You don’t have to go…”

“I live here,” Light pushed himself up.

“I know you do,” L nodded, “But…Now that headquarters is built, we might not have to come back here anymore.”

“You mean,” Light figured, “if I take one of the units?”

“Or…” L suggested, “You could be ok with a roommate.”

“No,” Light shook his head, “Not yet.”

“Please, Light,” L begged, holding tight on Light’s hand, “At least think it over.”

“I will,” Light promised, pulling L into a soft, sweet kiss, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Or later tonight,” L offered.

“Tomorrow,” Light smiled, “Promise.”

“Fine,” L let him go, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The whole week had gone by in a blur. All either L or Light could think about was what Friday night held for both of them. It made for a lot of busy work for Light. Either that or L wouldn’t get anything done. But as the moment got closer and closer, the task force had come to a close for the day in hopes of an evening of fun and excitement later. However, as the others were on their way out, Soichiro couldn’t help but notice one staying behind a bit longer.

“Light?” he wondered, glancing over his shoulder, “Aren’t you coming?”

“I’ll be there in a second, Dad,” Light sent him off, “Go ahead without me.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” he promised, “I’ll see you at home.”

“Alright,” Soichiro didn’t give it a second thought. He left Light behind and started heading home. 

Meanwhile, he was so blissfully ignorant to what would happen as soon as those doors closed. And L couldn’t keep the slight smile off his face, “Watari…?”

“Yes?” Watari’s ear perked up, “Did you need something?”

“Could you find me some macarons?” L asked softly, “I’m kind of hungry.”

“Of course.” But Watari knew. Of course, Watari knew. There wasn’t much about L Watari didn’t know. _In due time. I’m sure you’ll tell me soon enough._

“And Light?” L shot a quick look to his right where Light stood, waiting vigilantly, “I think you know what I want now that we’re alone.”

“I think so,” Light waited another breath for Watari to get out of eyeshot before making himself comfortable in L’s lap, gently kissing his cheek, “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Yes, you will,” L melted inside, putting an arm around Light, “It’s unfortunate we won’t be able to do much of this while we’re there.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Light settled him, resting his head in L’s shoulder, “I’m sure we’ll find time to sneak off every once in a while.”

“With or without someone asking questions?”

“Preferably without,” Light shrugged, “But if they do, then they do. I’m sure we’ll think of some kind of bullshit to spin.”

“Hm…” L thought it over for a minute or two, “If someone asks why we’re running off so much, we could always say that it’s because I’m having some kind of episode and you’re the only other person besides Watari that can take care of it without it turning into a full meltdown.”

“It’s plausible,” Light agreed, “But I don’t like it. What about something simpler? Like…I don’t know. Something else.”

“That story isn’t totally us lying,” L pointed out, “There’s no one else I’d trust bringing me down from an episode other than you. As far as people at this party are concerned.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t actually have to come to that,” Light cuddled into him, “How about we just say it’s because you need help deciphering some of the things people are saying? And it’d be too much of an embarrassment to do that in front of a large crowd?”

“That could work,” L allowed, his hand in Light’s back pockets, “You should be getting home. I’ll see you tonight. Promise.”

“And if things go sideways?”

“We’ll meet outside,” L decided, “One will wait for the other for ten minutes or so. If the other doesn’t come out by then, we’ll go back inside.”

“Or,” Light figured, “I could just shoot you a text instead.”

“That seems much more efficient,” L gave him one last kiss, sending warm, fuzzy feelings through both of them, “Go on, Light. I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight.”

And just like that, Light got into the back of L’s limo like he had a million times before. L’s driver knew where to take him. It’s not like Light hadn’t gotten used to it. Deep down, he started to like it, but he’d never say it. _Just the two of us tonight…Surrounded by a minefield. It’s not like we’re going to say anything about what happened last weekend or what goes on after the task force goes home for the day. But still…Tonight’s going to be a minefield. I just hope we come out of this in one piece._

As Light left the new task force headquarters, L cranked back the recliner on his desk chair. _Tonight’s going to be a big night for us, Light. Please…Be prepared for that._ L wasn’t even sure what the night would hold for either one of them. It had been weighing heavy on his mind for the last week. Ever since he got the invitation when he came back from Odaiba. He started feeling queasy. And shaky. That hardly ever happened.

“L?” Watari came back with a full sleeve of macarons for L’s eating pleasure, “Are you alright?”

“I’m not sure,” L knew better than to lie about his mental states to Watari. The man was like a bomb sniffing dog. Especially when it came to L, “Watari…Can I tell you something without the fear of harsh judgment?”

“Of course you can,” Watari sat in the empty chair next to him, “What’s on your mind?”

“It’s…” L tried to figure out the way to word it, but he came up blank, “I know I’ve already asked you this, but what do you think about Light?”

“Light?” Watari held back a little smile, “I think that he’s more than capable of taking care of things when they need to be taken care of. He performs particularly well in leadership positions. You missed it the other day. You should’ve seen him take control of the task force.”

“I have no doubt he was capable.” _But I do wish I could’ve seen it with my own two eyes._

“Which reminds me,” Watari asked, “How is Miss Yagami?”

“She’s fine,” L reported, “How’d you know I was going to meet up with Sayu?”

“You didn’t want Light coming along,” Watari pointed out, “With that invitation showing up the other day, I had a feeling you were going to need some sort of guidance and not the kind I can give you. Light is close with his sister. Who better as a wealth of information on him than Sayu?”

L sat back in absolute awe, “You know, Watari, I really shouldn’t underestimate you.”

“You also leave me in charge of your personal day planner,” Watari giggled to himself, “I’m not that psychic. In bright, blue letters, it said meeting with Sayu at four o’clock.”

“I’ve had a lot on my mind lately,” L slumped down in his chair, “Cut me some slack.”

“Like what?” Watari never dug with L. Ever. A gentle nudge to see where L was in his head, but he never dug deep.

“You know how I’ve been with Light since day one,” L vented, “And now, with this coming up tonight…”

“Lawliet…” Watari took his final leap, “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

L let out a little sigh, breathing out the butterflies in his stomach, “I think tonight may be the night…”

“Are you sure? You do understand what would come along with this, yes?”

“I do,” L nodded, “But I think it could be worth it.”

_No…It will be worth it._

Meanwhile, in a comfortable family home away from the task force headquarters, Light was just finishing up getting ready for the evening’s festivities. _I still think the bottoms are too tight, but I’ll live._ He peeked into the bedroom next door to check on his sister. Sayu had a terrible habit of shining in situations like this. At NPA balls of the past, Light knew that meant being on her security detail for most of the night, but tonight would prove different. 

“Hey, Sayu?” Light broke the silence, “You doing ok?”

“Yeah,” Sayu did a spin in her bedroom mirror, looking over the long, sparkly black dress she had picked out for herself, internally gushing, “I am doing fantastically. What about you?”

“Can’t complain,” Light shrugged, “I’ll leave you alone then…”

“No, no, no,” Sayu saw through him, “There’s something on your mind, Light. Get back here.”

“Nothing,” Light lied through his teeth, “Everything’s fine.”

“Nope,” Sayu threw her door open and dragged her brother in, closing the door behind him. Then, she got an eyeful of what stood in front of her, “Holy shit, Light…”

“Sayu!” Light immediately turned red. Only making it worse.

“Where’d the suit come from?” Sayu gasped, “Because it definitely works for you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Light laid his head on her wall, doing his best to not leave a hole.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Sayu jumped onto her bed, “I’d think you had a date.”

“Shut up, Sayu.”

“Let me guess,” she assumed, “L?”

“Not now, Sayu…”

_It’s totally L. Good for you, Light. It’s about time,_ “Fine. I’ll back off. I just have one more question.”

“What?” Light groaned.

“Are you meeting him there?” she wondered, “Or is he coming here?”

Light gave it a thought for a second or two, “Actually, we never talked about that. I’m not sure.”

“So, you admit it,” Sayu figured, “It’s a date.”

“Again,” Light held his face in his hands. _Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be? I’m not going to this on my invitation alone_ , “Shut up, Sayu.”

“You’re adorable, Light,” Sayu threw her arms around her brother’s waist, “You really are.”

Knock, knock.

“I think we might be having that question answered,” Light looked out Sayu’s window at the limo waiting out front. _Maybe I could get lucky and L just sent a car for me. It’s not like he’s going to be waiting at the door…Right?_

Before Light could get to the door, Soichiro got it first, confused about who waited on the other side, “Ryuzaki?”

“Mr. Yagami,” L gave him a courteous nod.

“I thought we were meeting up at the hotel,” Soichiro wondered, “What are you doing here?”

“We are,” L confirmed, his heart ready to jump out of his chest, “Actually…I’m here for Light, if that’s ok.”

“Why?” Soichiro looked at him strange.

“He’s my assistant,” L covered smoothly, “He has all of my information. I’m sure I can’t get in there without him.”

“Oh,” Soichiro dropped, “Alright then…Light!”

“Got it!” Light took off down the stairs like a bullet out of a gun and grabbed L’s hand, pulling him back into his limo.

“I’m sorry, Light,” L sighed out, “I have to ask. What…the hell was that all about?”

“You showed up at my front door,” Light caught his breath, “Stood toe to toe with my father. Demanded my presence.”

“I wouldn’t say demanded,” L brushed him off, “I framed it as a work thing.”

“Still,” Light admitted, resting his head on L’s shoulder, “That was awfully bold of you.”

“And?” L threw an arm around Light, idly running his fingers down the back of Light’s arm, “Light, I kind of control your father’s fate these days. That’s not something we ever have to worry about. I’m not afraid of him. Besides, you’re a big boy. You can make your own decisions. And if that decision happens to be me, I’m not going to stop you. Nor am I going to complain.”

“I figured,” Light giggled.

“Hopefully, tonight will be fun,” L kissed Light’s forehead.

“Careful, L,” Light teased, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were being optimistic here.”

“It’s not optimism,” L corrected him, “It’s hopefulness. I don’t go out often. And I have my reasons for that. But I have a feeling we’ll have a good time tonight.”

“And if all else fails,” Light suggested, “We could always call it an early night.”

“Maybe we go back to headquarters?” L beamed, “Just the two of us?”

“Or,” Light took it a step further, “We could just get a hotel room. That would be ok, too.”

“Really?” L’s heart skipped a beat. _Do you realize what you do to me, Light? What kind of frenzies your words put me in? I don’t think you do. And if you do, that’s awfully naughty of you. It’s not nice to tease,_ “One room, just us?”

“And one bed,” Light added.

“And you say I’m the bold one,” L held light a little tighter. _You better be careful. More talk like that and I may have to take you up on that offer._

“We shouldn’t have any problems,” Light hoped, “Usually, these NPA balls are kind of fun. If anything, some of them are hilarious when they’re all liquored up. My dad being one of them.”

“So,” L thought it over, “If I were to hypothetically ask your father for your hand, tonight would be a good night to do that? After he’s had a few, of course.”

“Who said I even wanted to get married,” Light wondered. Then, L’s story of Naomi shot through his head. _I didn’t think he’d be much of the wedding type after something like that._

“That’s why I said hypothetically,” L reiterated, watching out the window. Their car pulled up to the hotel where various, high ranking officers stood around outside, well on their way to enjoying their respective evenings.

“Well?” Light laced his fingers between L’s, perfectly content with the world, “Are you ready?”

“Whenever you are.” _Maybe this won’t be so bad._

And so, their night began. Light got out of the car first, well aware of the view L was getting. L followed closely behind Light, almost using him as a shield. _Light has the charisma and a million times better people skills than I do._ As much as L didn’t want to do this, he took slow, steady breaths, making sure things didn’t get bad for him. _He doesn’t need to worry about me. Not like that anyway. Not tonight._

Out of nowhere, L ran into Light’s back. Light’s body had turned to stone. For a brief moment, he thought he was going to be sick. And all it took was one look…Or in this case, three. _No…Not this. Not tonight…_ L pulled on the bottom of Light’s Jacket, doing his best to try and snap him out of his catatonic state, “Light? Are you ok?”

“You know that reoccurring nightmare,” Light explained, still not in the world’s greatest headspace, “where all of your exes are in one room, criticizing every single thing you did wrong in your relationships?”

“I suppose.” _Never experienced it myself, but ok,_ “Why?”

“Because,” Light’s voice broke, “They’re here…They’re all here. And I’m currently living that nightmare.”


	29. Cheap Shots and Cheap Vodka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. :3
> 
> Oh, this is going to be a good couple weeks. This is going to be a GREAT couple weeks. Why? Because it's the beginning of the NPA ball arc. And I don't know about you, but I'm so fucking excited for this. I've been sitting on this damn near since the beginning. So, instead of gushing about it, how about I just...give it to you? Sound like a plan? I think so. Love you x

“Why couldn’t I have gotten a punch to the dick instead?” Light groaned, just barely holding on and hardly on this side of wanting to walk into oncoming traffic, “That would’ve been so much better.”

“Are you going to be ok?” L worried, carefully and covertly slipping his hand in Light’s.

“It depends,” Light thought, “Did the room drop twenty degrees or is it just me?”

“It is kind of cold in here.”

“She’s here,” Light growled, “Fantastic. Just fucking wonderful.”

L wasn’t sure what to do. He never had to deal with Light like this. Not in a truly miserable state like this. Especially not in such a public setting. But bless him, he was trying his best, “Tell me who to avoid.”

“Alright,” Light took a slow, easy breath, doing his best to calm himself down, “But first, I need a drink. Can we go to the bar first?”

“Lead the way.” _At this point, Light, the world is yours. Anything you need, do not hesitate to ask me. I’ll be more than happy to give it to you._ L followed Light to the bar and took a seat next to him.

“Can I get a cosmo, please?” Light ordered, catching L by surprise.

“Seriously?” L wondered, “Cosmos, Light?”

“Don’t fucking judge me,” Light snapped, “I need a buzz to get through this night.”

“Light,” L grabbed a hold of his wrist under the bar, applying a subtle pressure, “I understand you’re a little on edge, but you don’t talk to me like that.”

“I…” Light shook off his sudden bitterness, “I’m sorry. That wasn’t meant for you.”

“I know,” L’s grip eased up, “Now, tell me who to avoid.”

“Ok,” Light took a good, heavy drink from his martini glass, feeling that warmth run through his body. He pointed toward the dark haired man in the corner, all by himself, “Teru Mikami. Actual human garbage. After she and I split, he stalked me for a couple months. He got to the point where he scaled the side of my house while my parents were out of town and tried to climb into my bedroom. Instead of sneaking into my bedroom window, he snuck into my sister’s room and curled up with her in her bed. Never fully charged with breaking and entering, but I did put my fist in his nose.”

“Yikes.” _I knew that already, Light. I heard it straight from Sayu,_ “Who else should I avoid?”

“Her,” Light hid a melancholic smile, nodding toward a beautiful woman in a deep red dress with a few other reporters, “Kiyomi Takada. Or, as I like to call her, the one that got away.”

“The news reporter?” L looked at him strange, “Really? You managed to hook up with Kiyomi Takada?”

“Yeah,” Light went on, “She was mine in my first year of college. We had a class together. She was smart and beautiful and absolutely amazing. But then, we went our separate ways when _she_ came into the picture.”

“I’m assuming you and Miss Takada ended amicably,” L hoped.

“I was forced to burn that bridge,” Light remembered. _I wouldn’t say it ended amicably. Takada was pissed,_ “Takada said I was cheating on her. Which wasn’t true. I wasn’t cheating on her. I couldn’t do that. Not to someone like her. But at the time, I wasn’t allowed to have any other women in my life that wasn’t my mom or my sister.”

“So,” L figured, “No more Takada?”

“No more Takada,” Light sipped on his cosmo, “It wasn’t pretty. But then…Then, it was her.”

“And who was her?”

“I still can’t tell you that,” Light reminded him, “There’s a reason why she hired Mikami to serve me an NDA.”

“I know,” L put a discreet arm around Light’s waist, “I know. It’s alright, Light. I understand.”

“Thank you,” Light finally could muster up a smile. A real one. Not one hiding heartbreak. Not one for the sake of appearances. 

“Hey!” Matsuda came running over to the bar, already with a few drinks under his belt, “Light! Ryuzaki!”

“Hi, Matsuda,” Light greeted him, maneuvering out of L’s embrace, “What do you want?”

“Have you heard?” Matsuda chirped, “Misa Misa’s here!”

“Really?” L perked up, “What would she be doing here?”

“Thank you, Matsuda,” Light brushed him off, a deep disdain in his voice, “Good to know.”

“I’m going to go see if we can get a picture!” Matsuda took off, leaving L and Light at the bar.

“What’s the matter, Light?” L teased, “Not a big Misa Misa fan?”

“You know who she is?” Light’s blood ran cold.

“Yeah,” L nodded, “Why?”

“Let’s just say,” Light felt his stomach turn, “I’m legally not allowed to confirm or deny if I’m a Misa Misa fan.”

“What?” L wasn’t sure what he was getting at. _You’re acting awfully strange,_ “Light? Are you ok?”

“Think about it, L,” Light’s hands started shaking, “Why might I not be able to talk about her? Her specifically?”

_Come on, L. You’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever met in my life. Please figure this one out. And don’t make me talk about her anymore._ Then, L started piecing things together. With every turn of the gears in his head, his eyes only got bigger. He grabbed Light by the hand and dragged him off to a much more secluded corner of the hotel’s ballroom. L made sure to keep his voice down, “You were with Misa Amane?”

“I can’t talk about it,” Light bit his lip, “I cannot confirm nor deny.”

“So, yes?” L assumed.

“I cannot confirm nor deny for legal reasons.”

“So, yes,” L nodded, “Yikes…”

“You’re telling me,” Light grumbled under his breath, “L…I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me with nothing but honesty. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course, Light,” L promised, “What is it?”

Light let out one deep breath, bracing himself for the answer, “Are you a Misa Misa fan?”

“If we’re being honest,” L answered, “I was. Every magazine cover she’s ever done, I had them all saved. But I’m not anymore.”

“What changed?” Light asked, suppressing another round of nausea.

“I found out she was a terrible human being,” L explained, moving closer to Light. _What better time than now, right? Hopefully, he’ll understand_ , “She hurt someone I care about very much. I can’t forgive her for that.”

In that moment, Light’s brain may or may not have completely short circuited, “What?”

_What the hell is he saying? Is it because of me that he’s lost interest in Misa? Is he really willing to throw away that kind of dedication for me? This is weird. All the while we were together, I was never the first choice. It was always Misa. No one cared about me. I wasn’t the sparkling star in the sky like she is. But…He cares…He cares? About me? What? When did that happen? Did I miss something? Because I’m starting to think I might have missed something._

“Of course, Light,” L assured him, “How could I side with someone so terrible when she hurt someone so wonderful? What kind of person would do that? I’ve been accused of being cold and calculating more than once, but I’m not totally heartless.”

“It’s…” Light struggled to find words, “It’s not that…I…You…”

“Light?” a gentle voice called out to him. One he hadn’t heard speak his name in so long. One he missed terribly.

“Takada!” Light gasped, “Hi!”

“Hi,” she let out a sweet, little giggle, “Wow. I never thought you’d be so excited to see me.”

“Yeah!” Light still wasn’t sure what was happening or where his sudden enthusiasm came from, “It’s great to see you.”

L looked Takada over a little closer. _Huh. I can see why Light liked her. She’s pretty. She seems sweet. There has to be something else here. It can’t be that simple._ But then, L caught Light out of the corner of his eye. And his heart dropped. _She’s your Naomi, isn’t she, Light? If you could, you’d get back together with her in a heartbeat. You were ripped apart by unfortunate circumstances and if she told you to jump tomorrow, you’d ask her how high._ The thought broke L’s heart. But he quickly shook it off.

“Should you even be seen with me?” the sharp acidity in Takada’s voice was enough to snap L out of his headspace, “Where’s your little Princess Misa?”

“Excuse me?” As if nails scraped on a chalkboard, Light flinched at the sound of a voice he wish he never heard. 

“Misa!” Takada awed cattily, “I thought I smelled cheap perfume and even cheaper vodka somewhere.”

_Uh-oh._ Light did his best to not let this escalate, “Hi, Misa.”

“Light,” Misa hissed, her venomous eyes glaring a hole through him, “So, you ran back to your reliable slut, did you?”

“Misa…” Light fought tooth and nail to not show cowardice in front of Misa. _The minute she sniffs that out, I’m fucked._

“Anything would be an upgrade from the last bitch he was with,” Takada pointed out, only stoking Misa’s fire, “Some whiny little brat that figures she’s entitled to the world. Misa, you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

“What did you way to me, bitch?!” Misa screeched.

“Misa…” Light pulled her away from Takada in hopes of avoiding any bloodshed, “What brings you here?”

“Role research,” Misa told him, snaking herself around his arm, “I’m playing a criminal in my next movie, so I started seeing a cop. He thought he’d show off and take me here. What can I say? I stick with what I know. Now, how about we go somewhere a little quieter? I’d love for us to talk.”

“Actually, Misa,” Takada took Light’s other arm, “ _We_ were just about to go get a drink. You understand if I tell you to fuck off, don’t you?”

“I don’t think so, sweetheart,” Misa stood her ground, ready (and more than willing) to throw a punch in Takada’s face.

“I have to go,” Light shook them both off and ran as far away as he could, leaving L between a rock and a hard place. 

“And who are you?” Misa wondered, looking L over.

“Me?” L asked, holding back a smug grin, “I’m the one that’s got what you both can’t have. Excuse me.”

But behind L’s smugness, an even deeper sadness ran through him. _It’s amazing. Just a few words out of her and Light’s progress is out the window. I don’t like this. I don’t like this one bit. If anyone’s going to put him through emotional turmoil, it’s going to be me. Not that I’d ever do what she did to him. He doesn’t deserve that a second time. Hard to believe someone like Light was with a monster like Misa Amane. Even harder to believe that the angel Misa Misa portrays in public could be so cold and cruel._

L knew what he needed to do. However, he was left torn. _Do I go find Light first? No. He probably doesn’t want to deal with me right now. And I’m not going to push him. I’ll let him be alone. For now. He knows where I’ll be when he’s ready. But for now, I need to find one person._ Only one would be able to make this mess make sense for him. L scanned around the room in search of Sayu, but she was nowhere to be found.

“L!” Instead of L finding Sayu, Sayu found L first, “Hi!”

“Hi, Sayu,” L let out a sigh of relief, “You’re just the person I wanted to see.”

“Come dance with me,” Sayu begged, “We can talk then. And no one would be the wiser. Light won’t mind, will he?”

“I…Don’t know.”

“L,” Sayu started to get nervous, “Where is Light?”

“I don’t know that one either,” L admitted, “He just took off. Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure,” Sayu wasn’t going to turn him away, “Is everything alright?”

“I know now,” L took her hand and led her toward the dance floor, using their dance as an excuse, “Misa revealed herself.”

“Oh, no,” Sayu winced, slowly moving with L, “How’d Light take that?”

“Probably as bad as what Miss Takada did,” L cringed, “It wasn’t pretty, Sayu. And I’m sure I didn’t make it any better.”

“You?” Sayu asked, “What did you do?”

“I might have told Light something I needed to keep to myself,” L grumbled, spinning Sayu away from him.

“L…?” Sayu spun back into him gently, “What did you tell him?”

Meanwhile, Light had made a nest for himself in a bathroom stall. He needed somewhere quiet to ease his racing thoughts. _Why? Why did they both have to be here? Why did they have to find each other? And L! I haven’t even given L a thought. He…He flat out told me he cared. About me. I mean, this might have been the worst night to tell me something like that, but maybe…Just maybe, he had a method to his madness. Maybe it was the best night. Worst timing, though. But he cares._

_The stories I’ve heard about his exes, though. I don’t sound like any of them. Other than the one he told about me. The one that wouldn’t ask for help if he was hanging off a cliff. The one that needs to be loved more than anyone. His favorite kind of melancholy. Maybe I am that broken._ L’s description got Light thinking. Not enough to make him anxious again, but enough to make him smile. _How long has he been wanting to tell me this?_

Light pulled himself together, doing his best to not break down again. _I shouldn’t leave him on his own. God only knows what he’s telling Misa and Takada. I doubt he’d say anything about us, but I don’t need that risk. Or worse, he could’ve found my dad and asked for my hand already._ Light shook the thought of their spring wedding out of his head. Definitely not during peak cherry blossom season in Nakameguro. That was the last thing on his mind. _I need to find L and explain everything._

However, when Light looked back up from the sink, a reflection in the mirror caught him off guard, “Did you miss me?”


	30. Objections and Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you cute little bitch. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a bitch. I meant it affectionately. I promise. But how are we today? Doing well? Doing not so well? I feel you. Me, too. I’m a little low, too. Have been for a couple days now. But we’ll persevere. This is just a little bump in the road. We’ll be alright. Ok? Come here. Bring it in. *hug* Alright. Now, how about we get to this week’s chapter? Ok? There you are, slugger. 

“I don’t know what to do, Sayu,” L sighed out, his head on the table while everyone around them continued their fun.

“There’s not much you can do,” Sayu did her best to offer what little comfort she could, “How were you supposed to know Misa and Takada were going to be here? Unless you’re some kind of psychic.”

“Psychics are just con artists with a good sales pitch,” L melted into the tabletop, “Forgive me if I’m coming off as a skeptic here, I’m just a little depressed.”

“Did you actually meet Misa and Takada?” Sayu wondered.

“Kind of,” L told her, “I was there when they both found Light. It’s not like I held a conversation with either of them.”

“So,” she figured, “Chances are, neither one of them know about you and Light, do they?”

“Probably not.”

“Less damage control,” Sayu let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“I don’t even know about Light and me, Sayu,” L admitted, “I told him I cared for him and he took off.”

“He’s probably holed up in the bathroom,” Sayu pointed out, “Why don’t you go find him? Make sure he’s doing ok. Right now, that’s the least you can do.”

“You know, Sayu…” L smiled a bit, “You really are quite the insightful young lady.”

“Thank you,” Sayu melted inside. No one had ever called her insightful. Those words were usually saved for Light. But she would gladly accept it, “Go. Go find Light before either Misa or Takada find him first.”

“I will.”

Meanwhile, Misa and Takada were the least of Light’s worries. Light was cornered. Lost in his own head and trapped like a rat in a cage. He could hardly move with the exception of his rapidly beating heart. Light thought he was afraid before…He was so naïve. So innocent then. Then, he opened his mouth. And only one word could come out, “Mikami…”

“Hello, Light,” Mikami moved closer to him, only for Light to mirror his movements in the opposite direction.

“What are you doing here?” Light’s voice quivered. In terror, in anger, he didn’t even know anymore.

“I was invited,” Mikami purred, “I missed you, Light. I miss…Us.”

“I don’t,” Light stood his ground, “Leave.”

“But Light,” Mikami tried to keep a calm composure. However, since Light was involved, his calm may not hold out well, “I miss you. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“No,” Light kept backing away from him. _Why can’t he take a hint? We’re done. I thought if I threw him a bone, he’d go away,_ “Mikami, we’re not getting back together…If we can even call it that.”

“Can’t we talk?” Mikami asked, “Please?”

“No.”

“I just want to talk, Light,” Mikami begged. But then came the inevitable breakdown at Light’s feet. Mikami wrapped himself around Light’s legs, making sure he couldn’t get away, “Light, please…Just one more night. One more night is all I need. I’ll never be able to move on unless we have one more night together. Please…”

“I said no!” Light couldn’t move. He tried to shake Mikami off him, but Mikami’s upper body strength was better than Light gave him credit for.

“Light?” L walked into the bathroom onto the sad, pathetic display that was Teru Mikami on someone that didn’t belong to him.

“Oh, thank God,” Light sighed out.

“You ran off on me,” L looked down at the shattered remains of Mikami’s psyche. _That’s what I was afraid of. Hopefully, Light’s getting my mental telepathy. Use this as a distraction, Light. One split second is all it takes._

“I’m sorry,” Light winced, “I needed a minute. I had a lot going on in my head and needed some quiet.”

“Clearly,” L scoffed, glaring down at Mikami, “You must be Teru Mikami.”

“Yes…” Mikami got up from the floor, pulling himself together, “Who are you?”

“You know me as Mr. Ryuzaki,” L introduced himself, “I believe Mr. Yagami recommended me to you.”

“Of course, Mr. Ryuzaki,” Mikami nodded, “It’s nice to meet you in person.”

“I wish I could say the same,” L rolled his eyes, “It’s unfortunate my first impression of you is groveling at someone’s feet. Not to mention, the handful of times he’s likely said no. Light, am I right in that assumption?”

“Yes,” Light didn’t even hesitate.

“Am I also right in assuming you’d like for Mr. Mikami to leave?”

“God, yes.”

“This doesn’t concern you, Mr. Ryuzaki,” Mikami got territorial.

“Actually,” L stuck his hand firmly on what belonged to him, catching Light by surprise. Something he had been wanting to do for so long. _Damn, Light, you have a nice ass,_ “It does. Light, I’ve been waiting on you long enough. It’s time we adjourn to much better matters.”

“Ok…” Light wasn’t going to argue. Light wasn’t going to fight him. In fact, Light caught L’s hint. And he sure as hell wasn’t complaining.

“Excuse me,” Mikami would fight, though. Mikami wouldn’t hesitate, “We were talking.”

“No,” L shot him down, “You weren’t. You weren’t taking the hint. Light, come with me.”

“Yes, sir,” Light followed L out of the bathroom, finally able to breathe again. But once he regained his bearings, he couldn’t help but ask, “What the fuck was that all about?

“I needed to make an impression on Mikami,” L explained, “And…Well…I’d say getting a handful of your ass was a big enough impression.”

“You certainly made an impression,” Light agreed.

  
“Hey…” L pulled Light into his shoulder, “It’s been a long night. For both of us. You want to get out of here?”

“Actually…” Light thought it over. _It has been a long night. And I really don’t want to have to pry Misa off Takada tonight,_ “Yeah. Can we?”

“Absolutely,” L allowed, “But first…I need you to indulge me for a second.”

“What do you mean?” Light worried.

L pulled Light into a vacant hallway, making sure no one was around, and pulled him in for one gentle, magical kiss, “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you faster. If I would’ve known Mikami was going to come for you, I wouldn’t have let you go off on your own.”

“I’m going to go tell my dad I’m leaving,” Light let L go, “I’ll be right back.”

“Light,” L stopped him, “Are you ok?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Light left L in the hall and went back into the ballroom in search of his father. Or at the very least, his mother. Just so someone knew not to look for him here. However, he found Soichiro at a table with a couple of the task force and his mother, “Hey, Dad…?”

“Light!” Soichiro smiled, “I feel like I haven’t seen you all night. Where have you been?”

_White knuckling it in the bathroom while my old casual tries to get one more night of sex out of me,_ “I’ve been around. But I think I’m going to go home. It’s been a long night and I’m kind of tired.”

“Alright,” Soichiro let him go, “Is everything ok?”

“Yeah,” Light brushed him off, “I’m just tired. L’s going to take me home.”

“Light,” Soichiro wondered, “You’ve been spending a lot of time with L lately…”

“Yeah,” Light tried to play it off. _What does he know? What has he been told? And who told him? No…It’s probably nothing,_ “I work for him, Dad. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together.”

“I know,” Soichiro gave him a little swat to the shoulder, “I’m just screwing with you. Don’t worry so much, son. It’s no good for you. Now, we’re going to stick around and watch Matsuda try to flirt with some idol. Are you sure you don’t want to watch?”

“I’m sure,” Light promised. _Good luck, Matsuda. Misa’s not an easy one to live with. Trust me. If anyone would know, it’d be me._ Light left Soichiro and the task force and headed back to the hall. No L. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

_I’m waiting outside_

Light held back a smile. _Good. I didn’t need to walk through that mess again._ Light went outside and noticed the car already parked up front. The driver opened the door and Light gladly slid in next to L. _It’d be nice to just go home._ Light laid in L’s shoulder and shut his eyes for a brief moment, sending L almost through the ceiling. But in the best way. L’s fingers skimmed the back of Light’s arm without a single thought in his head. However, when Light opened his eyes again, he noticed a different turn.

“Hey, L?” Light sat up, looking out the window, “Where are we going? I thought we were going back to my house.”

“Not quite yet,” L told him. _You…could come back here any time, though,_ “I only asked you if you wanted to get out of the NPA ball. I never said anything about you going back home yet.”

“So,” Light joked darkly, “I traded Mikami cornering me in the bathroom for you kidnapping me?”

“No,” L pulled Light back toward him, “I’m not kidnapping you, Light. I figured we’d go back to Odaiba for the rest of the night.”

“Odaiba?” Light looked at him strange, “L, I’m not in the slightest mood for…”

“No,” L corrected him, “I’m not expecting anything like that tonight. Don’t worry. Sex is the last thing on my mind right now. I figured it’d be a good place to clear our heads. Just the two of us.”

“The Odaiba ferris wheel,” Light smiled, remembering exactly what went down on the Odaiba ferris wheel. _Definitely better than what my imagination could’ve concocted._

“There’s what I was looking for,” L melted inside, “That won’t be so bad, will it?”

“Anything is better than dealing with Misa, Takada, and Mikami,” Light cuddled into L’s side.

“You’re not wrong,” L agreed, kissing the top of Light’s head. For the first time all night, Light was finally at peace. He didn’t have a single racing thought in his head. Light shut his eyes and spaced out. All the rest of the way to Odaiba. For a brief moment, he had a nice memory come into his head. Not one of his last trip to Odaiba, but to one of his first. _Sayu was still in diapers. She went running after a balloon and I stopped her from getting hit by a bike. When we were on our way home, she wouldn’t let go of my hand the whole way. L tried to stop me from getting hit by the bike, but instead, I got hit by a semi truck. But I survived. And he might have had something to do with it._

By the time L and Light got to the ferris wheel, L bought them a couple rounds and the two of them started their quiet ride up. As peaceful as it was, L knew there was something on Light’s mind. _Come on, Light. Talk to me. Please,_ “You know, Light, you don’t have to talk about him…”

“It’s alright,” Light assured him, “I just wish Mikami would leave me alone. In a perfect world, he’d leave the country and never come back, but I digress.”

“Can I ask you something,” L wrapped himself around Light’s arm, bracing himself for whatever comes next.

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

“Why did you run off in the first place?” L wondered. 

“There was a lot going on at one time,” Light confessed, “I’d love to be able to reconnect with Takada. Really, I would. But I have no doubt she hates me because of what Misa made me do. And Misa’s just as batshit crazy as she’s ever been. Then, there was you…”

“Me?” L perked up, “What did I do?”

“You…” All of Light’s calm suddenly went out the window, “YOU!”

“Me!” L freaked at Light’s outburst, “What did I do?”

“You just…!” Light snapped, “You cared! You wanted me! You didn’t toss me aside! You didn’t abandon me! You didn’t obsess over me! You were….just…You!”

Light turned away quickly, hiding his face…and his light sobbing…from L. And L’s heart shattered to pieces. _Oh, Light…How long have you been holding that back? How long have you needed to get that off your chest? And how long have you needed someone to love you?_ Then, L caught a little sob coming out of Light’s throat, “Light…Are you crying?”

“No…” Light lied through his teeth, running his finger under his eyes, “Would you think less of me if I said yes?”

“Of course not,” L slipped his hand in Light’s, “Light…I love you. If I didn’t, I would’ve left you in the bathroom to let Mikami do God only knows what with you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be offering you a unit in the headquarters building. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be taking you to where I feel the safest just in hopes of you calming down instead of taking you home. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be taking care of you the way that I do. It’s plain and simple, Light. I can’t keep that from you anymore.”

“You…” Light had known. Light had known for so long, but he never wanted to admit it. For what reasons, he may never know, “You…love me?”

“Yes,” L confirmed, “I love you, Light. It’s time you heard that and it means something. Never will that ever be empty again.”

Light stifled his next sob and laid in L’s shoulder, slowly pulling L’s arm around him, “I love you, too. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t put up with nearly as much of your shit as what I do.”

L kept quiet, but he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he wanted to. _It’s so nice to finally hear you say it, too, Light,_ “I’m sorry tonight couldn’t have been better, Light. I’m sorry you had to put up with what you did. You didn’t deserve that.”

“I had you, didn’t I?” Light pointed out, “That was enough. You got me away from Mikami. You gave me an out with Misa and Takada. Hell, you don’t know it, but you broke the hold Misa had on me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wouldn’t even say her name before, L…”

“That’s because you’re under…”

“No,” Light cut him off, “It was more than just my NDA. She had me gagged without even realizing it. It takes a while before that kind of mental block gets broken, L. And you…You.”

“Me,” L held onto Light’s hand a little tighter. _I’ll be more than happy to help you heal in any way you need, Light,_ “You want to go home?”

“Yeah,” Light held back a yawn. It had been a long day and an even longer night. Sleep would do them both wonders, “But…Maybe…You could stay with me?”

“You want me to stay with you?” L wondered, “At…Your house?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “Why not?”

_Because I didn’t think you were going to be that forward with your parents’ bedroom just down the hall. Or with your sister next door. But if you insist. You were good enough to stay with me when I was fragile,_ “Ok.”

The ferris wheel reached the bottom and L and Light got back into the car. While Light was curled up in L’s hip, ready to fall asleep right then and there, L got his phone out of his pocket, careful not to wake the sleeping angel in his lap. He scrolled to the bottom of his contacts and opened up a new text message.

_Don’t wait up._

_I’ll call and explain in the morning._

_That should be enough to where Watari won’t worry about me. I’m sure he still will, though. It’s Watari. When doesn’t he worry about me?_ L looked down at Light, blissfully asleep. It was enough to put a smile on L’s face. _I know when he doesn’t worry about me. He never worries about me when I’m with you. He doesn’t ever have to._ L shut his eyes for a second or two, not expecting to fully fall asleep himself.

“Mr. Ryuzaki…” the driver put a hand to L’s shoulder, gently shaking him, “Mr. Ryuzaki…?”

“Hmm?” L’s eyes slowly opened, “What? Are we here?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Task force headquarters or the Yagami house?”

“The Yagami house.”

“Light,” L nudged him, “Light, wake up…Let’s go sleep in a real bed, ok?”

“Ok…” Light’s voice was soft and gentle. And so sleepy. When they got inside, the house was quiet. Everyone had already gone to bed. Light might as well, too. They both climbed the stairs and laid in Light’s bed only for Light to stick to L’s hip like a magnet. _Good night, Light. Sleep well._


	31. Sneaking Out and Near Misses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning, not morning, and anywhere in between, my lovelies. How are we? Are we well? Are we hydrated? Medicated, if need be? Fed? In need of a hug? I can’t really help you with any of those right now, but you can. I know you can. To the best of your ability anyway. Now, how about we get into this week’s chapter, yeah? That sounds like a good idea. But this chapter’s going to have a little holy shit moment that might be a monkey wrench later. Still, at least we have each other. We always do. And little shout out to Sayu for being awesome (particularly this week). We love Sayu Yagami in this house and protect her with everything we have. And I’ll see you next week. Love you! x

The next morning, Sayu got out of bed and headed downstairs like any other morning. Her dress from the night before still laid on her bedroom floor. The pile of bobby pins sat on her nightstand. Everything was business as usual. That is until Sachiko asked Sayu a simple request. Over breakfast, of all things! Just to know how much she’d need to make. It was a normal thing for Light to turn it down, but it never hurt to ask.

However, Sayu was so blissfully unaware about what lies behind her brother’s bedroom door, “Hey, Light? Mom wants to know if…”

“SAYU!” Light gasped, doing his best to cover up what last night held for him.

“WHOA!” Sayu covered her eyes, noticing a still asleep and half naked L in her brother’s bed, “Looks like you had a good night last night, Light. Good for you.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” Light tried to explain.

“It’s not like I haven’t tried,” L grumbled, barely starting to wake up, “He’s really making me work for it, Sayu.”

“You’re not helping,” Light gave him a little smack with a pillow, “And not in front of my sister!”

“I’m sorry, Light,” L pulled him back down to the bed. _I don’t remember telling you it was ok for you to get up._

“Look, Sayu,” Light let L wrap himself around Light’s waist again with no problem, “Mom and Dad have no idea L stayed here last night.”

“Clearly,” Sayu noticed, throwing herself in Light’s desk chair.

“I need your help,” Light begged, “I need you to run interference while I sneak him out.”

“I can do that!” she chirped, “Leave it to…”

“And…” Light winced, preparing himself for the aftermath of this one little decision, “To help lessen the blow when I drop the moving out bomb on them.”

“You’re moving?” Sayu wondered.

“You’re moving?” L perked up. _He’s moving? Where, oh where, could you possibly be moving to, Light? I know what your bank account looks like. You don’t have nearly enough to get a place on your own._

“Well…” Light came clean, “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about it. Maybe I could give the tower a shot.”

“The task force headquarters?” L bit the inside of his cheek, hiding his genuine excitement.

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “That is…If it’s ok with you.”

“It’s fine with me.” _Oh, it’s beyond fine with me. I knew you couldn’t say no to me, Light. Not after last night._

“Ok,” Light held L’s hands on his chest, “Sayu, go run interference.”

“Got it!” Sayu got up from Light’s chair and headed back downstairs, leaving her brother and his boyfriend to their morning.

“Good morning, Light,” L gave him a much more proper good morning kiss.

“Good morning,” Light’s face squinched up.

“So?” L wondered, “You have to sneak me out?”

“I doubt my parents would take so kindly to me casually throwing you out the front door,” Light chuckled to himself.

“I’m guessing this was a lot like what your high school experience was like,” L figured, “I never had that problem, but what about you?”

“High school and early college,” Light admitted, “Yeah.”

_High school and early college, huh?_ L started putting timelines together in his head, “Does that mean you’ve snuck Takada out of here?”

“A couple times,” Light nodded, “Not very often, though. And L?”

“Yes, Light?” L cuddled him closer.

“Can we not talk about my exes please?” Light asked, “If we’re going to have a nice morning together, nothing would be a bigger buzzkill than my past romantic prospects.”

“I’m sorry,” L kissed Light’s forehead, “Are you sure I have to go? I could just stay here for a little while longer.”

“We can always go out tonight,” Light suggested.

“But will we?” L crossed his fingers.

“I mean…” Light hid his face in L’s chest, “If that’s ok with you.”

“You? Me?” L decided, “Dinner tonight?”

“Yes, please,” Light indulged himself in a little more skin on skin contact. _Is it bad that I don’t want him to leave? Well…I’m sure we could do this some more when I’m just living down the hall. And without worrying about someone breaking it up._

“So,” L teased him a bit, “Are you sneaking me out the window or out the front door?”

“Front door,” Light giggled, rolling his eyes. _I hate that I love you…Even worse, I hate that you made me admit it. He’s lucky he’s cute._

Meanwhile, Sayu had made it downstairs, taking a quick look around. _Dad’s got the paper. Mom’s got breakfast. You and L should be perfectly safe, Light. But it wouldn’t hurt to add a little more distraction._ She skipped over to the kitchen table and sat across from her father, “Morning, Dad.”

“Good morning, Sayu,” Soichiro didn’t even look up from his paper.

“Reading the paper?” she asked, making light conversation.

“Yes…” Soichiro peered over his paper in confusion. Only to look back down again.

“Anything good?”

“Not really,” he reported, “We’ve been doing our best to keep this case out of the media.”

“Why?” Sayu wondered, “Shouldn’t people know? That way, they can be more careful when they leave the house.”

“No,” Soichiro put his paper down, “We don’t need to cause mass panic like that.”

“Sayu,” Sachiko called from the kitchen, “Did you ask Light about breakfast?”

“Yeah,” Sayu chirped. _I think he’s good. Besides, he’s got L. What would he want breakfast for?_ “He’s good.”

“Maybe I should go ask him,” Sachiko started heading toward the stairs, “He might have changed his mind.”

“No!” Sayu jumped up. In the next breath, she tried to calm herself down, “It’s alright. You know how Light is. Once he puts his mind to something, it’s a rarity he changes it.”

“Sayu…” Soichiro worried, “Are you ok? You’re acting awfully strange.”

“Fine,” she promised, “Everything great!”

“Is Light awake?” Soichiro wondered, “When he left last night, he seemed pretty upset about something.”

_Sorry, Light. Don’t mean to throw you under the bus, but…I don’t have much of a choice,_ “The she-demon was there. She found him and apparently, she was trying to sink her claws into him again. He found me before he left last night and it wasn’t pretty. Could you really blame him for being a little upset?”

“Oh…” Soichiro winced. _The aftermath the first time around was a mess. I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like the second time around. No…Light’s too smart to go down that road again,_ “Poor Light…I wish he would’ve said something.”

“I think he’s ok,” Sayu hoped, well aware of how ok Light was.

“If you ask me,” Sachiko chimed in, “I think he should find someone new. I’m sure that would help get her out of his head.”

“You know what, Mom?” Sayu smiled, catching a glimpse of L and Light coming down the stairs, “I couldn’t agree more. I bet he’d be alright if he found someone new.”

Light shook his head at his sister while he stood in the doorway. But L quickly grabbed Light’s attention away again, “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Absolutely,” Light gave him one last kiss, “I’ll see you tonight. Are you going to be ok, getting home by yourself?”

“My car is around the block,” L assured him, “I’ll manage.”

“When did that happen?”

“My phone is never too far from my hand, Light,” L pointed out, “It’s my job to worry about you, not yours to worry about me.”

_Is he fucking serious?_ Light melted inside, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” L left Light in the door and took a walk down the block. As promised, his car waited for him.

“Back to the tower, Mr. Ryuzaki?” the driver asked.

“Yes, please,” L got into the car, wishing with every fiber of his being that Light would’ve gone with him. _I can’t wait for you to be living in the same building as I do, Light. It’s going to make 2AM a lot better. That’s for sure._

When L got back to the tower, he pressed the bypass button and headed upstairs. _I could use some coffee. And a donut. I’m thinking a donut. Or two…Or four. Four might be better._ He pushed his door open and found Watari sitting in the kitchen, “Welcome home, Lawliet.”

“Hi, Watari…” L sat next to him, his head onto the counter, “Can you make me some breakfast please?”

“Of course,” Watari got up, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” L grumbled into the countertop.

“Alright,” Watari let it go, quickly changing the subject, “How was the NPA ball last night? I noticed you didn’t come home, so I’m assuming you stayed at the hotel.”

“Can’t say that I did,” L clarified, “I stayed with Light last night.”

“So,” Watari figured, “The ball went well, didn’t it?”

“It was…” L thought it over, “Eventful. To say the least. Do you know who Misa Amane is?”

“She’s a model and an actress, isn’t she?” Watari got the box of donuts from the upper cabinet, “You had a soft spot in your heart for her, if I remember correctly.”

“Not anymore.”

“Why not?” Watari wondered, “What happened?”

“She’s Light’s ex-girlfriend,” L explained, “The bad one. The one that had him signing their NDA. She’s terrible, Watari. I met her last night, too. How Light dealt with her for as long as what he did, I will never fully understand. But…I met all of his exes last night. They didn’t know who I was in relation, but that may have worked in our favor.”

“That’s understandable,” Watari winced, putting the box in front of L, “As many as you’d like, Lawliet. They’re all yours.”

“Thank you,” L opened up the box and started indulging himself. But then, he looked over at his suddenly ringing phone. _Huh…Unknown number. Not too often I get those._ L slid his finger across the screen, “Hello?”

“L…?” On the other end was a soft, sweet voice L hadn’t heard in so long. And it put a hole in the pit of his stomach. 

L got up from the kitchen island and took the box of donuts into his bedroom, making sure he was out of Watari’s earshot, “Near? What are you doing up? Isn’t it midnight?”

“My new medications are keeping me up,” Near told him, “They’ve been screwing up my sleep for the last week.”

“Still,” L tore off a piece of donut, “You should be in bed.”

“Oh…” Near’s voice softened even more, “Are you mad at me…?”

L knew he was caught between a rock and a hard place, his chest feeling heavier and heavier as the minutes ticked on. _This could be a disaster_ , “No. I’m not mad at you. Are you at least in bed?”

“Yes,” Near promised, “I’m in bed. Just having a hard time sleeping.”

“How are you, Near?” L wondered, genuinely concerned. _Near should know better than to call me, but who knows if he had anyone else?_

“I’ve been slowly progressing,” Near reported, “I’ve been keeping up with my doctor’s appointments every week. Mondays and Fridays at two o’clock.”

“That’s good,” L praised, “I’m glad to hear it.”

“So,” Near asked, “When are you coming home?”

“Near…” _And there’s the sound of the other shoe dropping._

“I know,” Near stopped himself, “It’s not my business. You don’t have to answer me. I’m not entitled to that information.”

L got a little nervous, “How’d you know I wasn’t home?”

“I know what you look for in a case, L,” he gushed inside, “There’s been a string of murders in the Kanto region of Japan. Around Tokyo. I can only imagine that’s where you are. Not to mention, you said it was midnight here. Meaning that wherever you are, it’s not midnight.”

“If we’re being honest,” L smiled a bit, “I just woke up not too long ago. I’m glad to see your deductive reasoning is still there. Very impressive, Near.”

“Thank you.”

“On that note,” L asked, “How has school been going for you?”

“I’m passing. For the most part…My STEM classes are too easy.”

“Is there no way they can bump you up?” L figured, taking a bite out of his second donut.

“They’ve tried,” Near sighed out, “But apparently, my professors don’t appreciate when I correct them. It’s alright, though. I’ll be graduating soon.”

“That’s great,” L laid back on his bed, his heart getting heavier. A part of him missed having Near balled up at his side, “I’m sure your professors will appreciate it. No one ever likes being told they’re stupid.”

“Will you be there?” Near hoped.

“I don’t know, Near…” L chewed on his lip, “Would that be a good idea?”

“I’ll be fine,” Near swore, “I understand that we’re not going to get back together, L. And that might be for the best.”

“So,” L wondered. _I have been looking for an excuse. This might be my chance_ , “Could I bring a date?”

“Go ahead…”

L knew what Near was doing. Despite how hard it was for him, he pushed himself to believe he’d be ok. But L trusted him. And the process, “I really am proud of you, Near. And it was nice hearing from you. But you need to go to bed. Ok?”

“Ok,” Near caved, “And you’re still not mad at me, right?”

“Of course not,” L promised, “Just go to bed. At least try. For me.”

“Fine…”

Even though things were messy when L and Near split up, that didn’t mean L didn’t still care. Just a little bit. For the sake of indulging him, L put on that one voice…The one with the little bit of authority in it that Near soaked up like a sponge, “Good night, Nate...”

“Good night, L…”

Click.

_Well…He didn’t call me Daddy out of reflex. Maybe he really is making progress._ Watari knocked on the door, snapping L out of his headspace, “L? Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” L sighed out, “Everything’s fine.”

“Who was that on the phone?” Watari asked.

_Watari would rake me over the coals if he knew I was in contact with Near. But still…It was nice to hear his voice again. However, on that same token, I’m curious as to how well he’d respond to me bringing someone else to his graduation. And it would be an excuse to get Light out of the country. And to bring him back to London with me. In due time._ L lied through his teeth, “It was no one.”


	32. Moving Out and a Major Plot Twist!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. How are you? If you're doing wonderfully, today's going to make it even better. If you're not, hopefully, this can manage to cheer you up a little. Oh, is today going to be good. Because that plot twist is definitely...A plot twist. To put it into perspective, even when I was writing it and the words were coming out of my fingers, I was confused by it. But in a good way. Don't you worry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have lunch waiting for me and work to do before a certain little guy gets here. Love you x

While L dealt with the trials and tribulations of Near’s phone call, Light had his own challenge to maneuver. However, he remained hopeful. _How upset can they really get? I mean, it’s not the first time I’ve moved out. They should be fine._ Soichiro sat at the table, still in the same spot Sayu left him in while Sachiko had moved to the couch. Light took one last deep breath, bracing himself for whatever may come next. _Well…Here goes nothing._

“Hey, Mom, Dad?” Light sat in the living room, “Do you mind if we talk for a second?”

“Of course, Light,” Sachiko allowed while Soichiro’s ear perked up, “Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine,” he promised, “There’s just…Something I need to say.”

“What is it, Light?” Soichiro got up from the table. _Is this going to be about last night? Is there more that Sayu didn’t tell us?_

“It’s just…” Light braced himself, “Being back here for the last…almost year…Has been great. And I couldn’t be more appreciative for it.”

“We have liked having you home, Light,” Sachiko admitted, “It’s been nice, not having to worry about you.”

“That’s what I was afraid you’d say,” Light grabbed the couch cushion. _This better be worth it,_ “Because I found a new place.”

“When?” Soichiro wondered, “Ryuzaki keeps you so busy all the time. When did you start looking for new places to live?”

“It’s funny you say that,” Light chuckled to himself. _Because Ryuzaki’s the one I’m moving in with in the first place,_ “Because L offered me a unit at task force headquarters. He says there are plenty empty ones and I’m more than welcome to use one.”

“Really?” Soichiro wasn’t sure what to think about it, “Ryuzaki said you could just…have one of the units?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded.

“But Light,” Sachiko started tearing up, “We just got used to having you home. You’re going to leave again?”

“I’ve already accepted his offer,” Light knew this was the direction things were going to go. He hated to break his mother’s heart like that. And a second time around. 

“Ok,” Soichiro was on his side, though. As much as he didn’t want Light to go, he wasn’t going to stop him.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Sachiko argued, “You’ll still see him every day.”

“Not necessarily.” _Come to think of it, even when we were still in the hotel, I hardly ever saw Light while we were working. Either we’d be split off elsewhere or Light would be running errands for Ryuzaki._ But that got Soichiro thinking, “Light…If you’re going to be moving into task force headquarters, Ryuzaki’s not going to abuse that opportunity, is he?”

“No,” Light shook his head. But he didn’t ever remember them talking about it. _He wouldn’t…Right? God, I hope not,_ “I’m sure I’ll have separate work hours. And I know the door has a lock on it. I could always shut myself in my apartment and pretend like I’m not home.”

“Light,” Sachiko scolded him, “That’s still rude.”

“But how is he going to know if I’m home or not?”

“He’s probably got a set of keys to all the rooms,” Soichiro figured, “Or, at the very least, Watari does.”

“He’s not going to abuse that, Dad,” Light assured him. Although, that assurance was still on shaky ground, “But…I thought I’d start moving in today.”

“But…Light,” Sachiko’s voice grew weaker. And the crack in her heart kept working its way down.

“I’ll be fine, Mom,” Light promised, holding her hand, “It’s not like I’m going to be very far from home. It’s not like I’m leaving the country.”

“Good,” Sachiko let it go. She understood that she didn’t have to like it, but she also knows she’s not going to stop him. 

“Light,” Soichiro asked, “Does Ryuzaki know you’re moving in today?”

“Probably,” Light knew the answer to that one already. _Of course, he does. I told him this morning when we woke up. He knew about me moving out before you did,_ “Why?”

“I’ll go with you,” he decided, “You could use another hand.”

“You don’t have to do that, Dad,” Light shot him down, “It’s alright.”

“I need to speak with him anyway,” Soichiro brushed him off, “It’s not a problem.”

“Ok,” Light did his best to hide the sweat pouring out of his body. _Why would he want to see L? It has to be case related, right? There’s no way he’d know about him staying last night. Or about us. Or anything like that. L wouldn’t talk about me to Dad without me knowing about it. Right? He knows what kind of a mine field that’d be to walk through, right?_ Then, Light had an idea. His one ace in the hole. His one buffer to make everything ok, “Hey, Sayu?”

“Yeah?” Sayu stuck her head around the corner, “What’s up?”

“You’re coming, too,” Light demanded.

“Where are we going?” she wondered. _Where are you going with this, Light?_

“You get to see task force headquarters, Sayu,” Soichiro told her, “Your brother’s moving out again.”

“Oh!” Sayu wasn’t going to say no, “Neat! I’ll go get my shoes!”

Light knew they could be heading for a disaster. _And if this is going to be a disaster, I might as well give him a fair warning._ He went back upstairs and got his phone off the charger. _Come on, L. Pick up. Things could be getting very messy very quickly and I need you to answer. And I need to know what you told my dad to get him so territorial all of a sudden._

“Hello?” L’s voice was the only thing in this world that could simultaneously make Light’s stomach knot up, but set his soul at ease.

“L, it’s Light,” Light greeted him, “I’m on my way to the tower.”

“Are you?” L chimed, “That’s nice to hear.”

“But I’m bringing my dad with me…”

“Oh…” L’s enthusiasm faltered, “Why?”

“He said he wanted to talk to you about something,” Light filled him in, “I don’t know what that something might be, but I need you to do me a huge favor.”

“Of course, Light,” L promised, “What is it?”

“I don’t want you to say a single word about us,” Light demanded, “Not one. He knows I’m moving into the tower, but he doesn’t know I’m moving in with you.”

“Excuse me?” L’s excitement started to come back, “What was that?”

“Don’t make me say it again,” Light begged, “Please.”

“You’re moving in with me?” L wondered, “I thought you were moving into your own unit.”

“As far as anyone else is concerned,” Light clarified, “I am. But once everyone leaves…Well…You know.”

“Yes, I do.” _I do now. I didn’t expect you to be so bold so soon, Light. I like it,_ “So, not a word to your father?”

“Please.”

“My lips are sealed,” L swore, “Besides, I don’t want to have to deal with your father wondering what I did to corrupt his son.”

“You didn’t corrupt me,” Light giggled a bit, “I could’ve walked away from you. If I remember correctly, you gave me that option a long time ago.”

“Could you, though?” L teased, “Could you have walked away from me and completely washed your hands of me, knowing what you know now?”

“Probably not…” Light slipped his watch on. That one special watch that made his heart skip a beat. Not because of the massive price tag on it, but because of the memory attached to it. _Our first kiss was over this damn watch._ But then, memories of their first trip to Odaiba crept in. And suddenly, Light’s pants got a little tighter. _No. Shake that off. Shake that off,_ “By the way, if it’s alright with you, I’m bringing Sayu along, too.”

“That’s fine,” L allowed. _I’m not going to say no to Sayu. She’s harmless…In the right hands,_ “How long until I should be expecting you?”

“Soon,” Light thought it over, “Probably…Half an hour?”

“I’ll be waiting,” L felt his heart skip a beat.

Click.

As much as Light couldn’t wait for this, he dreaded it all the same. His father’s words still rang in his head. _What the hell could Dad want to see L about? Is it about me moving into the tower? Is it about him being able to abuse his power? Because I don’t think he’ll use me outside of my assisting position much when I’m off the clock. He sure as hell didn’t corrupt his son. Well…Maybe a little. But that’s still on me. I couldn’t blame L for that._ Light shook off anything negative and kept his thinking positive. 

_I get to move in with my boyfriend today…If I can even call him that. I suppose there’s not much beating around the bush left to do. Except for Dad finding out when we get there. No. Everything’s going to be fine._ Light pulled himself together and got into the passenger seat of his father’s car with his sister in the back. _I don’t know what I’m worried about. Things are going to be fine. At least I hope so._

When they got to the tower, Soichiro assumed the regular day to day position. He emptied out his pockets and started putting anything metal into the detector tray. _Strange to be doing this on a Sunday, but who am I to ignore Ryuzaki’s security protocols? I’d hate to think what would happen if these alarms started going off._

“Wow,” Sayu gasped, “Security’s pretty tight here, huh?”

“The tightest in all of Tokyo,” Soichiro figured. _Possibly all the world. Then again, this place does harbor one of the most brilliant minds of the last century._

But Light knew better. He leaned over to Sayu, “You want to see something neat?”

“What?” Sayu wondered, watching as her brother walked over to the bypass button.

“Excuse me,” Light pressed the button, “Watari?”

“Yes, Light?” Watari’s voice barked out of the speaker, “How can I help you?”

“Will you tell L I’m here please?” Light requested, “Along with my father and my sister?”

“Yes, I will.”

Then, all the doors started to unlock and open. Soichiro looked on in absolute awe, “How did you do that, Light? The task force has been working with Ryuzaki for the last six months and we still practically have to get strip searched at the door.”

“L trusts me,” Light shrugged it off. Sayu knew better, though. She did all she could to keep the smile off her face. _Uh-huh…L trusts you. How many times have you done this, Light? Because you looked way too good at that._ Light walked in nonchalantly, “And I do live here now. Sayu?”

“Yeah?” Sayu snapped out of her brief haze, “What is it?”

“My unit is number forty-one,” Light sent her off, “I’m sure the door’s unlocked, if you want to go take a look around.”

“Ok!” Sayu took off upstairs, making sure to take a moment to look around. _Wow…This is pretty high tech. I should’ve known just by looking at the security system. What kind of building are you moving into, Light? And who is L to be having all this?_

“Mr. Yagami,” L came down the stairs shortly after Sayu got to the top. Only to look over at his son and hold back a smile, “Light.”

“Ryuzaki,” Soichiro wasn’t nearly in the same jovial mood L was, “I need to have a word with you. Light, why don’t you go upstairs?”

“Actually,” L bit the inside of his cheek, “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather Light stayed down here.”

“No,” Soichiro stood his ground, “Light…Go upstairs. This is a private matter Ryuzaki and I need to discuss. We’ll both be up shortly.”

“Alright,” Light looked over at L, hoping to get some sort of gauge on his mental state. L gave him a little nod. However, just because Soichiro told him to go upstairs, that didn’t mean he couldn’t sit at the top and listen in.

“What did you need to speak with me about, Mr. Yagami?” L wondered, genuinely confused. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Light sitting at the top of the stairs. _You little rebel, you. Right now, your minor act of rebellion is greatly appreciated._

“There’s no sense in beating around the bush,” Soichiro jumped on the defensive, a certain protective fire burning in his eyes, “What’s going on between you and my daughter?”

“What?” L’s confusion only got worse. And Light was completely caught off guard. But at the same time, a wave of relief came over both of them, “Your…Daughter?”

“Sayu,” Soichiro reiterated, “Yes.”

“What about her?” L asked.

“You tell me,” Soichiro’s anger grew, “What’s going on with you and my daughter?”

“Nothing,” L swore.

“Then, what was that dance last night all about?” Soichiro snapped. 

Light listened intently. _Dance? When did L dance with Sayu? Was that when I was in the bathroom or did I miss that entirely?_

“We were merely talking,” L assured him, “She’s nothing but occasionally a much-needed friend, Mr. Yagami. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I don’t, do I?” Soichiro tried to relax, but the protective father in him said otherwise, “You stay away from Sayu or we will have problems. Do you understand?”

“I understand perfectly.” L did his best to hide his shaking from the minor panic attack trying to work its way through his brain. _Oh, your daughter is the least of your worries, Mr. Yagami. Don’t get me wrong. Sayu’s a sweetheart and I wasn’t lying when I said she could be a much-needed friend to me. If you only knew what your son was up to. I’m sure that wouldn’t sit well with you either._


	33. The New Apartment and the Old Problem

Light knew better than to leave Sayu alone for very long. Especially when he’s moving into a new place. _Knowing my luck, Sayu would be like a cat, just barely on this side of rubbing her face all over everything._ However, when he walked into his unit, Sayu was still in the middle of the living room, looking around in complete awe of what L gave Light. Little did she know the pretext of why L was giving this place to Light.

“This is huge!” Sayu gasped, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was bigger than our house.”

“I don’t think I’d go that far,” Light chuckled nervously. _Always the excitable one, Sayu._

“I would,” she scoffed, “You really get to live here, Light?”

“Last time I checked,” he nodded.

“You know,” Sayu threw herself into the overly plush leather couch, “I think this might be bigger _and_ better than your old place.”

“Yeah…”

“Light?” Sayu started to notice her brother keeping her at arm’s length, “Is everything ok?”

“Can I ask you something?” Light sat next to her, the conversation between his father and L still fresh in his mind.

“Sure,” she allowed, “What’s up?”

“Why would Dad be asking L about you?”

“I don’t know,” Sayu looked at Light strangely, “Dad never said anything to me about L.”

“He said you were dancing with him last night,” Light explained, “What was that all about?”

“I did!” she chimed, “I remember that. Actually, believe it or not, it was kind of nice. Why? Are you jealous?”

_A little, but I’m not going to tell Sayu something like that. That’d be like signing a death warrant. Just what I need is Sayu with something to rub in my face,_ “That’s beside the point. What have you been up to?”

“Nothing!” Sayu swore, “Honestly, Light, you’re so paranoid.”

“Sayu,” Light knew better. Sayu couldn’t lie to him to save her life. And in a way, Light was almost grateful for that.

“Alright,” she caved, moving a little closer to Light, “Don’t tell him I told you any of this, ok?”

“I won’t.”

“So,” Sayu confessed, “L comes to me when he needs advice on…Well…You.”

“Really?” Light wondered, “Why? He could just…You know…Talk to me.”

“Not always,” she winced, “Look, Light. I love you. I really do. Deep in the pit of my heart of hearts, I love you. You are the best brother I’ll ever have.”

“I’m the only brother you’ll ever have,” he pointed out.

“So, no competition,” Sayu teased, “But some things, L just…Finds it easier to ask me. Simple as that. And because of that, we’ve sort of formed a friendship.”

“Oh,” Light let it go. _That’s actually kind of sweet and wholesome. And it’s nice that L cares enough to get advice from my sister about me._ But then, reality set in for Light, “Hold on a second, Sayu.”

“What?”

“What all have you told him?” Light started to sweat, “Because there are certain things in this world I tell you in complete confidence.”

“I don’t ever tell him anything major,” Sayu promised, “Don’t worry, Light. I know better. I just answer his questions. Sometimes, I don’t answer them completely, but I give him enough to leave it alone.”

“Ok,” Light could breathe again. But one thing lingered on his mind, “Have you…Did you ever tell him about her?”

“Nope,” she shook her head, “Not a word about her. I drew the line at talking about your exes. That wasn’t my place. Not only that, but I didn’t know enough about your exes to give him the good stuff.”

Without another thought, Light threw his arms around his sister, “I love you, Sayu.”

“I love you, too.” _Oh, Light. If you knew the shit I’ve told L, would you still love me? If you knew about me telling him about the exact way to push your buttons, would you still hug me like this? Because I have a feeling you’d want to push me into oncoming traffic first._

“Are we interrupting something?” L walked into the room with Soichiro following him like a shadow…An angry, looming shadow.

“No,” Light let Sayu go, “Everything’s fine.”

“So?” L dropped it, “What do you think? Have you made the house a home yet?”

“Not yet,” Light shook his head, “And I’m only staying here until I find my own place. Got it?”

_Is that the cover story we’re going with, Light? I mean, it’s not like it’s not totally plausible,_ “Alright.”

“It’s not bad,” Soichiro took a quick look around. _This place is bigger than our house. His old penthouse was pretty big, too, but this might be a little bigger. What would I know? I was there once when he moved in._

“No expense was spared in the construction,” L assured him, “All the technology is not only state of the art, but easily adaptable. Everything else was left to a design team.”

_I’m sure there wasn’t._ Soichiro still wasn’t quite sure what to make of L. He wouldn’t hesitate to jump to his defense with the rest of the task force. Mostly because he valued L’s brilliance. Aside from that, L was still an enigma. Then again, L was an enigma to most. Still, something about L made Soichiro uneasy. He couldn’t finger on what that might be, but he knew there was something…Something…off…about him.

“I’ll be fine, Dad,” Light assured him, calming his nerves a little. 

“I know, son,” Soichiro put a hand to Light’s shoulder, “You’re living in a building with likely the best security system in the world. Right, Ryuzaki?”

“Yes. He’ll be perfectly safe.” L confirmed. _Especially when he’ll be with me. I may not look it, Mr. Yagami, but I’m a lot stronger than I look. And that strength comes out even more when I’m pissed. And I’ll be damned if someone goes near what’s mine without a fight._

“Ok…” Soichiro let out a little sigh of relief. _As long as he’s ok. He never spoke about the last time he had to come home. I wasn’t going to push him. We don’t need to go through that again. He doesn’t need to go through that again,_ “Come on, Sayu. We should be going.”

“Ok,” Sayu wasn’t going to fight him. She had no reason to, “See you later, Light!”

“Sayu,” Light stopped her before she could leave.

“Hm?”

Without another thought, Light threw his arms around his sister, making sure to keep quiet in her ear, “You’re welcome anytime. You know that, right?”

“I know,” Sayu laid her head in her brother’s shoulder.

“Just…” Light bit the inside of his cheek, “Make sure you call first.”

“And make sure you both have pants on?” she teased.

“Sayu!”

“That was a joke, Light,” she giggled to herself. _Somebody’s touchy._

“It wasn’t that,” Light clarified, “It was just to make sure I was home to let you in. The security system can be kind of a pain in the ass to maneuver if you’ve never done it. That’s why I got access to the button. And that would mean calibrating you into the system and you don’t need that.”

“Oh…” Sayu let it go, “Ok.”

“Come on, Sayu,” Soichiro called to her.

“Coming!” Sayu ran off, “Bye, Light! Bye, L!”

“Bye, Sayu,” L smiled a bit. And just like that, Soichiro and Sayu were gone.

“You seem awfully close with my sister,” Light noticed.

“She’s a sweet kid, that one,” L admitted, “I like her.”

“And we wonder why my dad got so pissed,” Light joked.

“I’d never dream of it,” L slipped his hand in Light’s, “You, on the other hand…Oh, I’ve had all kinds of dreams with you in them.”

“I’m sure you have,” Light hid his face, feeling his cheeks get warmer with every passing second.

“And I know you have about me, too,” L teased, “By the way, Light…”

“What?”

L kissed his cheek, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome?” Light wondered, “What was that all about?”

“For staying.”

“You offered me a spot in the tow…”

“Not just staying here,” L explained, “I have a lot of respect for your father, but sometimes, he does scare the hell out of me. And when you said he wanted to see me about something, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me nervous. My thoughts instantly went to you. And I know you’ve said that wasn’t something you were ready for yet. That was fine.”

“Mine did, too,” Light agreed, sitting down on the couch, “I thought he found out about us somehow…Do you think we’ll ever tell him?”

“Not until I do something silly like ask for your hand,” L jabbed, cuddling up next to him, “Or…You know…After this case is done. Then, I wouldn’t be working with him anymore and it might make things a little less awkward. I was so happy to see you at the top of the stairs.”

“I wasn’t going to just abandon you, L,” Light took his hand, “You could’ve left me in the bathroom with Mikami. You didn’t have to come after me. But you did. Call this me paying you back for it.”

“No,” L shot him down, “I’ve told you from the beginning, Light. I don’t ever expect anything in return from you. I do what I do for you because I want to. Pay me back, don’t pay me back, it doesn’t matter. It’s already done and there’s nothing we can do about it after that. But enough of that. We don’t ever have to bring up Mikami again.”

The thought of Teru Mikami made L nauseous. Especially in the bathroom. _God only knows what he would’ve done to Light if I hadn’t stepped in. Light had already told him no, but Mikami doesn’t know how to take a hint. Even when it’s being bashed over his head._ As if acting on instinct, L pulled Light into his chest and showed no signs of ever letting him go. The sudden affection caught Light off guard, but he wasn’t going to say no. He shut his eyes, content with the world.

“Ok,” Light promised, “Never again.”

“Now that we have that behind us,” L suggested, “Would you like to see your real unit?”

“Yes please.”

L pushed himself up, then pulled Light along. And the two of them left for a room at the end of the hall, shut off by double doors and a keypad. L punched in a few numbers and pushed them both open. Meanwhile, Light sat back and watched in absolute awe. _Is that really necessary? This building is already incredibly secure. Does our door need a keypad, too?_ Light shook it off and followed L into a room slightly bigger than the other. And slightly nicer. 

“Home sweet home,” L wrapped his arms around Light. _Hard to believe I never thought I’d have a domestic life. Yet here we are. What have you done to me, Light Yagami?_

“I thought home sweet home was about six thousand miles west,” Light teased.

“No,” L shook his head, bringing Light down to the couch, “This isn’t too bad. I kind of like it here. I’ve found cafés I like and the sweet shop in Shibuya even though I have a hard time walking in there myself.”

“I’ve always wondered that,” Light admitted, “Why can’t you go into the sweet shop in Shibuya?”

“It’s a lot of bright colors,” L explained, “It makes my head hurt…Like…In a way, it’s like sticking a massive needle directly into my head and I can’t handle it. That’s why I send you instead.”

“Oh,” Light let it go, “Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” L pointed out, “You mean, you want another question?”

“Please?” Light’s voice softened, sending pure, wonderful shivers through L.

“Alright,” L allowed, “What is it, Light?”

“Are we still going out tonight?” Light asked.

“If you want to…”

“I think I do…” As much as Light wanted to go out with L, one other question burned in his brain. Something his father said to him, “You know…My dad was worried you’d abuse my new living situation for work purposes. You’re…Not going to do that…Right?”

“Of course not,” L promised, “Light, in all the ways I could milk this situation, trust me. Work would be the last thing on my mind. For when you’re not on the clock anymore, I have Watari to do just about anything I ask him to. When you’re off the clock, you go back to being my boyfriend instead of my assistant. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “I got it.”

“Actually,” L thought for a moment or two, “We could stand to discuss some changes to your contract. But we’ll do that over dinner tonight. Is that alright?”

“That’s fine,” Light got up from the couch and gave L one last kiss, “When do you want to leave?”

“Soon,” L told him, “I’m getting kind of hungry.”

“Fine…” The second Light turned around, L saw an opportunity. A beautiful, perfect opportunity. And he couldn’t pass it up if he wanted to.

SMACK!

“Hey!” Light squeaked, nursing the tingling on his ass.

“Go on, Light…” L insisted, a smirk on his face. _That ass is mine. And you know it._

Later that evening, L and Light took off for a restaurant in Ginza. Light didn’t think it’d be a place where L would be ok, but alas…There they were. After Light talking about how many times Misa would take him to Omotesando, L could only do one thing. Any way he could one-up her, he would gladly take. And Light wasn’t exactly going to say no to that. It stroked his pettiness in just the right way and it gave L the opportunity to spoil the one he loved most.

“I don’t know…” a voice from a couple tables away sent chills down Light’s spine. And not in a good way, “I think I just need a good night out and I’ll be ok again.”

“Light?” L barely spoke above a whisper, “Are you alright?”

“Joy,” Light slinked down in his chair.

“What’s wrong?” he worried.

“It’s awfully cold in here,” Light grumbled, “She’s here.”

“Light!”

_Oh, God…Why? Why can’t we just have a nice night alone?_


	34. Dinner and Derailments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you cute little bean. How are you? Have you taken care of yourself today in one way or another? Fed yourself? Drank some water? I…Can’t say I’ve done either, but I got an energy drink here. Does that count? But after I post this, I got lunch waiting for me, so…Win? Yeah? Alright. Now, let’s get into it, yeah? Yeah. Sounds like a plan.

One night. All Light wanted was one night of peace and quiet with his boyfriend without any interruption. He was all situated with L back at the tower. His father was still blissfully unaware of his son’s ulterior motives. Just one quiet night to celebrate was all Light asked for. Nowhere in his plans did he mention or even prepare for a random surprise from Misa. _Of all the restaurants in Ginza, why did you have to pick this one?_

“Light?” L nudged him under the table as Misa started approaching them, “Are you going to be alright?”

“I’m not happy about it,” Light admitted, “But I’ll be ok.”

“Hi!” Misa squealed, throwing her arms around Light’s neck, “I’m so happy I ran into you!”

_That makes one of us. Are you taking lessons from Mikami?_ Light simply sat back and smiled politely, praying this would be quick, “You, too, Misa.”

L chuckled a bit to himself, well aware Light was lying. _I know better, Light. Hopefully, you’ll be able to come out of this unscathed, but I know better. If you had your way, she’d be in a wooden crate and shipped off to Siberia. Anywhere else that wasn’t here would do, but if it were me, Siberia would do just fine. A cold locale for a colder bitch._

Then, Misa turned her attention toward L, her face scrunching up in irritated disgusted, “Oh…It’s you.”

“It’s me,” L confirmed. _Now, get you fucking claws out of my man,_ “If you’ll excuse us, we’re busy.”

“Uh-huh,” Misa blew him off, making herself comfortable in Light’s lap, “So, Light…How are you? I feel like we hardly got to talk at that party the other night.”

_Maybe that was by design. Or divine intervention._ Light took the safe route, “No. We didn’t. I had a lot of other things going on that night.”

“You know, Light,” Misa cuddled into Light’s shoulder, sending L’s blood into a rolling boil, “I miss you. I really do.”

L quietly seethed. _Oh, Light. I love you, but you’re too sweet to her. She doesn’t deserve your kindness. She doesn’t deserve your gestures. She sure as hell doesn’t need to be grinding in your lap. That’s for damn sure. Leave, Misa. Leave anytime. Like…I don’t know. Maybe now would be a good time. Just get out of Light’s lap._

“Um…” Meanwhile, Light was trapped. He had no idea what to do. A part of him said to push her away…Physically push her away. But another part said not to make a scene. And L could see that. Nothing pissed him off more, “That’s nice.”

“Whatever happened to us?” Misa sighed out, “You know, maybe we should give us a try again.”

If L’s blood wasn’t boiling before, it was getting to the point of evaporation. _Grow a pair, Light. Please. For the sake of our relationship and the sake of your sanity, grow a pair. Let this be the moment where you have a spine with her. You’ve come so far and I’m so proud of you. You know better now. You don’t need her in your life. Just tell her off. Please. I know you can’t tell me much about her, but I don’t need to know anything more to understand how bad she is for you. Don’t do it._

In that moment, something had snapped in Light’s head. _Wait a second…I’m in a happy relationship. We’ve moved in together. Everything’s fine. Why would I let Misa ruin that? It’s not like I’d cheat on L anyway, but I don’t need her,_ “Misa…I left you. Plain and simple.”

“You know what we should do?” Misa suggested, completely oblivious, “We should get together soon. Just to talk. Nothing more than that. I really do miss you, Light.”

“No, thank you,” Light shot her down.

“Come on,” Misa whined, “Why not? You know we’d have a good time. We always did when we’d go out.”

“Because,” Light defended himself, “I. Left you. End of story. That means no more.”

“Besides,” L wasn’t going to sit idly by anymore. He didn’t need to let Light twist in the wind anymore, “I don’t like to let him out very often. Let alone out of my sight. Now, do you mind? We were in the middle of dinner.”

“That’s nice,” Misa continued to ignore him. Instead, she curled into Light’s lap a little more, “So, what are you doing later, Light? We should definitely go out and do something. Let’s go out like we used to.”

_Why? So you can make me hold your purse while you’re throwing up and snorting coke in the bathroom? Yeah. Not doing that. I’ll pass,_ “No, Misa. We’re not going out tonight.”

“Excuse me,” L stepped in, “Miss Amane?”

“What?” Misa groaned, “Don’t you see I’m busy, trying to rekindle my relationship with my ex-boyfriend?”

“That’s the thing,” L went on, “Because you asked Light what he was doing later. And I see subtlety is regularly lost on you.”

“Are you telling me I’m stupid?” she snapped.

“I’m not telling you that you’re stupid,” L clarified. _However, I think your train left the station and you’re still on the platform,_ “But _I’m_ what Light’s doing later. I’ve been doing my best to not get angry with you, but the more you speak, the more difficult it gets. So, if you don’t mind, I’d really appreciate it if you’d get out of my boyfriend’s lap now.”

Misa froze, still entirely lost, but things were starting to click in her head, “Hold on…Light…”

“What?” Light wasn’t going to make eye contact with her. He knew better than that. If he made eye contact, Misa would suck his soul out of his body.

“You were serious?” she wondered, looking L over with great confusion, “You’re…really seeing him?”

“Um…” Light started turning red. And L sat back with a smile on his face. 

“Oh, Light,” Misa awed, cradling his face in the palm of her hand. Her bright red nails sunk into his cheek, “Oh, darling…You deserve so much better.”

“It’s funny you mention that,” L smirked, “Because I thought the same when you came over here.”

“Light!” Misa squealed, “Are you just going to let him talk to me like that?”

“Um…” Light couldn’t say much else. Mostly because he knew L was completely in the right.

“Light,” Misa demanded, a glare in her eye, “Look at me.”

“Um…” Light slowly turned his head.

Misa forced his gaze, staring deeply into his eyes, “Are you really seeing him?”

“Um…” Light hated this. Misa had him trapped (both emotionally _and_ physically). L’s mouth was digging him into a hole. He started sweating buckets. But then, he felt something under the table. Light caught a glimpse of L’s foot running up and down his shin. _He’s just reminding me he’s here._ Light’s bitterness quickly dissipated. _Or is he…actually trying to make me feel better? My god. He’s trying to make me feel better. He knows damn well what Misa does to me. And what she’s done to me. L’s trying to make me feel better. He’s not holding anything over my head. He’s not backing me into a corner. If anything, he’s trying to pull me out of it._

“Light,” Misa growled, “Tell me you’re not involved with him. You’re not seeing him. And when you’re done playing pretend here, you and I are going to go out. Right now.”

“No,” Light shook his head, pulling himself together while the tingles in his body settled his racing thoughts, “I can’t do that. Because that would be lying to you. I’ve moved on, Misa. I know it’s going to be hard for you to understand, but you’re not the center of my universe anymore.”

“But he’s the center of mine,” L smiled a little. _Good to see you’re still in there, Light. I’m glad she hasn’t completely destroyed you. Again. I would’ve hated to see what you were like after you left her. Nonetheless, we would’ve handled it. Somehow. In a way, we still are. But don’t you worry. We’ll be ok,_ “I already told you, Misa. I have what you can’t have. Now, I’m going to ask you again. Do you mind?”

Misa’s glare ran through L like a knife. L’s hatred for Misa had finally turned into Misa’s hatred for L. She stared in L’s eyes without breaking and gently kissed Light’s cheek. Then, she got into Light’s ear, keeping her voice down to a low rumble, “Call me when you’re done lying to me, Light. Then, we’ll have some fun like the old days. You remember that fun, don’t you?”

“Bye, Misa,” Light waved while she stormed away.

“Light,” L worried, “Are you alright?”

“I’ve been better,” Light took a heavy drink from his wine, only to collapse on the table, “Why? Why did Misa have to show up here? Who did I piss off in a past life to deserve her?”

“I don’t know,” L took Light’s hand, “But she’s gone now. We don’t have to worry about her anymore. Not right now.”

“Why can’t she just go on location for her next movie?” Light sighed out, “Those were the few good days of our relationship. I knew she had to be screwing around on me, but I didn’t care. I had peace and quiet and that’s all that mattered.”

“Maybe,” L thought, “Maybe she doesn’t have to go on location for you to get that peace and quiet.”

“Because she’s not in my life anymore,” Light grabbed the wine bottle and filled his glass again, “I know.”

“It’s not even that,” L suggested, “You…wouldn’t want to…maybe get out of town for a bit…would you?”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Light sipped on his wine some more, “But I don’t think I’m in the mood to go back to Odaiba.”

“I never said we’d be going to Odaiba,” L clarified, “Don’t get me wrong. I love when we go to Odaiba. I really do. But I actually have a graduation to go to in London next month. And I was wondering if you wanted to join me. I’m not saying you have to, but traveling is a lot easier on me when I’m not doing it by myself.”

“You want me to go to London with you?” Light’s heart stopped. Suddenly, his thoughts went back to the first time L ever stepped foot in the Yagami house. He knew what going to London would mean. And after the mess he had gone through with Misa moments ago, Light was in the place to do just about anything. _I’ve never been to London. Maybe it’ll be far enough away from her where I wouldn’t have to worry. And it’d be far enough to where L and I could just…be. It’d be like Odaiba, but all of the pressure would be gone._

“I’d love for you to go to London with me.” _Because as much as I love that you’re living in the same building as I am now, I’d love to see you in my bed._ L had a quick, naughty thought run through his head. And it put a smile on his face, “It’s such a lovely city. Since you’ve already been to Shimokitazawa with me, I might as well show you the Chelsea embankment, too.”

“Alright,” Light agreed, “Looks like we’re going to London. Together.”

“And because you want to, right?” L hoped, “Not because you’re contractually obligated?”

“I do want to,” Light assured him, “That’s right. We were going to talk about my contract tonight, weren’t we? But then, Misa came in and ruined everything. Which is basically Misa in a nutshell.”

“Don’t worry about it, Light,” L brushed him off, “At this point, we could probably just rip up your contract. I got what I wanted out of it and you’re still going to work for me, regardless. We can discuss your contract some other time. But right now, I think we should just have our night. How does that sound?”

“Better than dealing with Misa,” Light finished off his wine.

“I think we’ve been through enough for one night,” L’s grip on Light tightened, “Are you sure you’re going to be ok?”

“I’m sure,” Light promised, “You know what she told me before she left?”

“Hard to tell.”

“To call her when I was done lying to her,” he chuckled to himself, “I’m kind of glad I’m not lying to her.”

“Me, too,” L agreed, “But you don’t ever need to explain yourself to her ever again. She doesn’t need to know what you’re up to. She’s not in your life.”

“That’s right,” Light nodded. _That is right…I’m free from her._

“It’s getting late,” L pointed out, “You want to go home? I’m getting kind of tired.”

“And after dealing with Misa,” Light confessed, “I’m pretty beat, too. Yeah. Let’s go home.”


	35. Nightmares and the Knight in Shining Armor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! So, funny story before we get into it today. My power went out at about 7AM this morning and I thought to myself, ‘am I going to be able to post today?’, but about an hour ago, the power blinked back on! So here we are! Yay! Wee! Alright, so are we ready for a little angsty fluff this week? Because that’s what we got coming. LET’S GO! MY COFFEE IS H I T T I N G!

L still couldn’t believe it. No matter how many times he would open and close his eyes, he wasn’t dreaming. His mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. This was reals. _I never thought it’d be so easy. Granted, Light did make me work for it, but I earned this._ As L and Light laid in bed, Light’s head rested comfortably on L’s ribs, his eyes shut. L just ran his hand down Light’s back, putting Light at ese. _Tonight was probably hard on you, wasn’t it, Light. It wasn’t your fault. I promise you that._

Even on the way back to the tower, Light continued to apologize for Misa’s sudden appearance. Every time he did, it rang in L’s head like nails on a chalkboard. L held Light a little tighter. _She really did a number on you._ L planted a soft kiss on Light’s forehead. _But she can’t get to you here. I would never allow that. I promise._ L shook off the unfortunate events of the evening and realized what he had. Light slept soundly in L’s bed with L wrapped around him. _You’ve had a long, hard day. Go ahead and rest._

“L?” Watari gently knocked on his bedroom door.

  


“Yes?” L didn’t even bother hiding the boy in his bed. He knew Watari would understand. It’s not like he didn’t know anyway.

  


“I didn’t hear you come in,” Watari sat on the chair next to the bed, “Is everything alright?”

  


“His ex-girlfriend ruined our date,” L grumbled, “But she tried undoing all of the healing Light’s done and possibly tried getting back together with him. She didn’t believe us when we told her we were on a date.”

  


“He seems awfully comfortable where he is now,” Watari pointed out.

  


“He’s had a hard day,” L cradled Light against his chest, “I couldn’t wake him right now if I wanted to.”

  


“You know,” Watari smiled, “It’s been a while since I saw you like this.”

  


“What?” L wondered, “With someone sleeping in my bed that wasn’t me?”

  


“You in love, Lawliet…” Despite his early skepticism, Watari couldn’t’ stop this. He knew better. Telling L no would only push him further into Light’s arms, “You seem awfully content with him, too.”

  


“I am,” L brushed his fingers over Light, indulging himself in any proof the moment was real, “I sleep better with him. Hell, I _sleep_ when I’m with him. I don’t know what it is about him, Watari. He’s just…He’s him. And he’s here.”

  


“How many times have you slept with him, L?” Watari asked, “I’ve only seen this once.”

  


“A few actually,” L came clean, “Some of them were…sort of kept from you. Every night while we were in Odaiba. Last night in his bed. One time when we were still in Omotesando.”

  


“When was he there in Omotesando?” Watari looked at L strange. Although, he did have a feeling he already knew.

  


“I had a bad night,” L admitted, “I had told him about Near and Mello…And her…”

  


“Really?” Watari gasped, “You told him about Miss Misora?”

  


“Yes,” L’s voice broke…but with a quick clearing of his throat, he pulled himself together, “I did. I told him everything. He deserved to know.”

  


_Those were the days where I almost screwed everything up. I could’ve lost Light for good._ L looked down at the angel sleeping in his ribs. _But you stayed. Finally, I didn’t scare someone off that wasn’t Watari. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that, Light. I won’t leave you if you won’t leave me. That sounds good enough, doesn’t it?_

“Well,” Watari got up from the chair, quietly cursing every ache and pain in his joints, “I’m going to go to bed. Did you need anything else before I do?”

  


_I have everything I could ever want right here. Throw in a finished murder case, so I can stay in London with Light when we leave for Near’s graduation and everything would be perfect._ But L knew what Watari was trying to get at, “No. I’m ok. Good night, Watari.”

  


“Good night, Lawliet,” Watari clicked off the lamp in the corner and Left L alone for the night. L leaned down to kiss the man he loved one last time. _Good night, Light. I love you…If only this could be like this a little longer._

“Mmm…” Light groaned a bit, his face starting to twitch.

  


“Light?” L glanced down at him. And his twitching only got worse. L pulled him closer, “Light?”

  


“No…” Light’s voice was weak.

  


“No?” L worried. _Is he talking in his sleep?_

“No…” Light whimpered, “I…I can’t…”

  


“Shh…” L did his best to calm him down, “You’re going to be ok, Light. I’m right here. You’re safe.”

  


“No…” Despite L’s best efforts, Light only got worse, his face clenching in pain, “Misa…Misa, no…No…Don’t…Don’t make me…”

  


“Light,” L tried to get closer. But Light’s shaking quickly turned into flailing. _Oh, shit…And I thought Mello’s were bad,_ “Light, it’s…”

  


SMACK!

  


“No!” Light snapped, the back of his hand meeting L’s cheek.

  


“Light!” Before Light could manage another hit, L caught his hand. And that contact was just enough to wake him. In that brief moment of quiet, L’s heart fell to pieces. _Oh, Light…What did she do to you? How badly did she hurt you?_

“L?” Light’s voice was still incredibly strained. As was his vision in the dark bedroom.

  


“You’re ok,” L hugged him tight, ignoring the stinging sensation on his face, “It’s just you and me, ok?”

  


“Good,” Light fell apart in L’s embrace, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Then, he buried his face in L’s shoulder, almost as if he were trying to hide it from him, “Good…”

  


“Are you ok?” L treaded carefully in uncharted territory.

  


“Bad dream,” Light shuddered, pushing away any flashbacks wanting to take control of his thoughts.

  


“You want to talk about it?” L asked, his voice soft and gentle.

  


“I’d rather not,” Light winced. _I wish I could. There’s so much you don’t know, L…So much I can’t tell you. NDA be damned._

  


“If it makes you feel any better,” L cradled him, “It’s only you and me here. In a lot of the other rooms, there are wire taps and cameras, but not in here. It’s completely, one hundred percent safe. And I can keep a secret. I have so many things that could either get me thrown in jail or killed either by death penalty or mercenary rolling around in my head, but I’ve never said a word. If there’s something you need to tell me, Light, you can. But I will never ever push you about it. Ok?”

  


“Ok…” Light’s heart started to swell. _Sometimes, it’s scary how much you’re in my head. You know what’s made me like this._ He pulled himself together. Rather, Light let L hold him together, so he could fall apart, “There were things I’ve never told you about.”

  


“That doesn’t surprise me,” L kissed the top of his head.

  


“For a long time,” Light struggled to find the right words to come out of his mouth. _He already knows so much…But even that’s not the half of it,_ “For a very long time, I was bad…I was so bad.”

  


“How bad?” L braced himself for whatever may come, “Like…Need to be discussed with a mental healthcare professional bad or in a court of law bad?”

  


“A mixture of both…”

  


“And…” L wondered, “Was it all…?”

  


“Her,” Light nodded, not even hesitating anymore, “Yeah. When you said she wanted an accessory she could have sex with, you weren’t wrong. But I’d see her treat some of her accessories better than she’d treat me. I was her personal assistant she’d occasionally sleep with.”

  


“Um…Light?” L teased him a little, hoping to make things less tense, “You’re _my_ personal assistant I sleep with.” 

  


“But you’re different,” Light cuddled into L a little more, stifling a cheap laugh, “We’re different than what I was with her. She was a special brand of toxicity. She was poison to me. And I couldn’t get enough for a long time. The difference between you two is that you won’t hesitate to admit I’m yours.”

  


“I’d scream it from the rooftops if I could,” L admitted, running his fingers down Light’s arm, “But I understand. That’s a step you’re not ready for yet. And I’m not going to take that step without you.”

  


“She would,” Light went on, “Imagine having your girlfriend introduce you to people she either works with or people who want to work with her introducing you as no one. And she’d only introduce you when someone would ask about you.”

  


“Oh, yikes,” L cringed, “You are far from no one, Light.”

  


“Yeah,” Light shook a bit as the bad memories started trickling in, “I always thought she did that for work purposes. A lot of idol agencies don’t want their idols getting involved in relationships, so the fans can project their romantic fantasies on them without rivals or competition. They need to have this certain image or their adoration goes out the window. And that’s what she told me. It’s her agency’s rule. It’s her agency’s rule. That’s why she doesn’t tell many people about me. But one day, I managed to be alone with her manager. She was off doing…Something. I don’t even remember. And I talked to her manager about that rule. Do you know what she said?”

  


“What?”

  


“She said their agency didn’t have any control over their clients’ personal lives,” Light’s voice broke. He did his best to shake it off.

  


“So,” L settled him some more, “I’m guessing that’s what made you walk.”

  


“Yeah,” Light nodded, “Among other things.”

  


“Why were you even with her in the first place, Light?” L wondered, “You didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. I wouldn’t even wish that on my worst enemies…Well…Depending on which worst enemy we’re talking about. But for the most part, I wouldn’t. I’m not here to judge, but what the hell were you thinking?”

  


“It was one night shortly after I started college,” Light explained, remembering everything like it was yesterday, “I had been seeing Takada for a couple months. We had gone out for drinks to celebrate first semester exams being done and over with. She and I both studied our asses off for them and ended up with some of the highest marks in the class.”

  


“With you at the top, no doubt,” L assumed.

  


“Of course,” Light scoffed, “Where else would I be?”

  


_There you are, Light. You had me scared for a moment. I thought I had lost you,_ “Anyway…”

  


“Anyway,” Light continued, “Takada had gone to the bathroom, so I was left at the bar by myself. And…There was this guy.”

  


“Guy?” L perked up, “I thought this was the night you met Misa.”

  


“I was getting to that,” Light hushed him, “Hold on. There was this guy at the bar. He had gotten drunk and stupid and he’d hit on anything in a short skirt. That’s when Misa walked in. When she came in, she sat at the bar and ordered herself a drink. Not that she had to. Any man in that bar would’ve been more than happy to buy her one. But she bought herself a drink. And this asshole comes over. He had been playing pool with his buddy, trying to hustle him out of some money. He still had the cue in his hand and not so subtly, he stuck the cue under her skirt and started lifting it up. He technically never touched her, but that didn’t make him any less disgusting. When she tried to call him out on it, he claimed he never did anything.”

  


“So you, being the kind soul you are,” L figured, “You stood up for her.”

  


“I wasn’t going to sit idly by and let some pervert get away with that,” Light jumped on the defensive, “Sure, in hindsight, I may not like her, but she didn’t deserve that. And he went with the bullshit excuse that if she wasn’t looking for attention, she wouldn’t be in such a short skirt. No. That was just Misa. She liked short skirts, skimpy dresses…That was just how she was.”

  


“In a way,” L kept making sense of things, “You saved her.”

  


“I’m pretty sure that guy wanted to take her in the back alley and do god awful things to her,” Light gagged, “But I did something that I didn’t realize how badly I’d regret it at the time…”

  


“What’d you do?”

  


“I…” Light bit his lip, “I kind of pretended to be her boyfriend, so the guy would leave her alone.”

  


“Oh, Light…” L winced, “You had good intentions, but they came back to…”

  


“Bite me in the ass,” Light agreed, “Oh, yeah. And when Takada came back out, Misa stuck around with us for the rest of the night. I explained everything that happened, so Takada wouldn’t get pissed. Everything was fine. About a week later, I went back into that same bar and sure enough, Misa was sitting there by herself with a drink in front of her.”

  


“Oh, Light…” L held him tighter, “That’s how she got you, huh?”

  


“Like walking into a spider’s web…” Light went on, “She and I started talking. And she was really sweet. Her career was just coming to fruition. Everything was really good with us. Honestly, those early days were some of the best of our whole relationship. Then, when it really took off, that’s when things started turning for us. She turned into a diva. And a really big diva. And that’s when I became her PA she’d occasionally sleep with. It got so messy so quickly and I couldn’t get out of it. Our lives had become so entwined with each other. I didn’t know what I’d do without her. But I didn’t know what I was going to do with her more often than not. Every day got more and more exhausting. Between keeping up with her schedule and my schedule and hardly having a minute to breathe, it was hell. And then, there was the thing I found out from her manager.”

  


“And that’s when you walked…”

  


“That’s when I walked.”

  


“Look on the bright side, though, Light,” L put things into perspective, pulling Light in for another kiss, “Look where you walked to.”

  


“I wouldn’t say I walked to you,” Light teased, “I’d say I…More so crawled to you.”

  


“Casual stroll?”

  


“I could say casual stroll,” Light agreed, giggling to himself, “With frequent breaks.”

  


“That sounds about right,” L let him have that one, gently brushing Light’s hair out of his face, “Why don’t you go back to sleep, ok?”

  


“Ok…”

  


“Do you need something to help you?” L reached into the nightstand drawer, thumbing through his small collection of sleeping medications, both prescription and over the counter.

  


“No,” Light looked over his shoulder, his eyes popping out of his head, “Holy shit, L…How many different sleep aides do you have?”

  


“A few,” L brushed him off, shutting the drawer, “I’ve been off and on them for years. Are you sure? Last chance.”

  


“I’m sure,” Light cuddled into L’s ribs, his soul feeling a little less heavy, “Hey…L?”

  


“Hmm?” L pulled the blankets over both of them better.

  


“Thank you,” Light shut his eyes, completely at peace again.

  


“For what?” L wondered, “Letting you vent? Of course, Light. I’m not just going to…”

  


“For not being like her,” Light cut him off.

  


L’s heart skipped a beat. And it only made him hold onto Light that much tighter, “My pleasure. Now, go to sleep. We still need to work in the morning.”

  


“Ok…” Light kissed his cheek, “I love you.”

  


“I love you, too.” _And as long as I live, Light, I will never ever, ever, ever be like her. Not with you. Once was plenty._


	36. Breakfast in Bed and a Sacred Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cracks door, soft light streams into the room* Hello…? My lovelies? It’s time to wake up. It’s Tuesday. That means it’s time for a new chapter. But you can’t have it until you wake up…There you are! Good morning, sunshines. I missed you. Now, because you woke up so nicely for me, how about a surprise? Like…A warning. I know. Ominous, but not an ominous warning. It’s more like a:
> 
> The following chapter of the Sweet Taste of Silver contains sexual content. If this makes you uncomfortable, then I suggest skipping this chapter and I’ll give you a recap next week. I mean…With Light’s birthday coming up on Sunday, why not a little wink, wink something, something to celebrate, yeah?
> 
> Alright then. Now that we have that out of the way, I hope you’re doing well and I love you.

When Light opened his eyes, he didn’t know what he loved more. It could’ve been the peace and quiet. Perhaps it was the comfort of knowing he had a new place to call home. But then, he looed up at the man underneath him, still peacefully asleep. Light nuzzled his face in L’s ribs, perfectly content. And even more so overjoyed that he didn’t have to move. The fear of someone walking in on them was nonexistent. Even the possible threat of Watari walking in didn’t faze him. Light had L. And that’s all that mattered.

_This was nice. It sure as hell beats the alternative. To think, it could’ve been her…No. I’m not going to let her ruin this. She already tried once. Never again._ Light shook the thought of Misa out of his head and simply enjoyed the moment, appreciating every second. _He’s kind of cute when he’s asleep._ Light hid a smile in L’s chest and shut his eyes again. _I wonder how much longer we’ll be able to stay just like this._

“We need to get to work, Light,” L’s voice rumbled in Light’s ear, sending the best chills through Light’s body.

“I know,” Light pouted a bit, “What if I don’t want to?”

Light didn’t know it, but his minor act of insolence made L’s heart skip a beat. _Maybe he does have a little bit of brattiness in him after all. What else do I have to do to get you to bring that out more often, Light?_ As much has L would love to indulge him, a killer still walked the streets of Tokyo a free man. L ran his hand through Light’s hair and down his back, offering what little comfort and consolation he could, “I know. And believe me, I’d love to stay here for a little while longer, too. But we need to get up or we’ll never leave this bed.”

“You make that sound like a bad thing…”

L couldn’t help himself. He pulled light closer, cradling him against his chest. _You are awfully needy this morning, Light. I’d be lying if I said I hated it,_ “You want to stay here a little longer, Light?”

Light shut his eyes, wanting to be nowhere else more, “Please…”

A gentle kiss found its way to the top of Light’s head, “Alright. Just for a little while, though, ok? We have a whole day ahead of us yet.”

“Ok.” Light didn’t care. He knew he fought it tooth and nail, but all it took was that one morning and he had to tap out. _Why do I have to love you? Why do I hate it? And why do I never want this to go away? How fucked up did Misa have me?_

Knock, knock.

Light’s heart jumped out of his chest. Not necessarily onto his sleeve, but down to his stomach. L pulled the blanket over him a little better, “Yes, Watari?”

“Could I come in?” Watari asked, knowing better than to casually barge in. Especially knowing what he knew.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” L stopped him, covertly glancing down at Light. _We don’t need to put you in that situation, do we? Not this early in the morning,_ “What is it?”

“Would you like some breakfast?” Watari offered.

“I’m not hungry,” L shot him down, “But thank you.”

“Alright then,” Watari backed off, “Good morning, Light.”

Light panicked. But only briefly. _Watari sounded awfully casual about that,_ “Good morning…”

“If you change your mind,” Watari assured him, “I won’t be far.”

“Ok,” L sent him away. _If I change my mind, I’ll take Light by the little hand and we’ll go get something ourselves._

“L…” Light kept his voice down, “How did Watari know I’m here?”

“There’s not much Watari doesn’t know,” L admitted, absentmindedly running his fingers down Light’s spine.

“And…” Light only grew more and more nervous, “How much does Watari know?”

“All of it,” L came clean, “Light, Watari knew I loved you before you did. He was the first and only person I ever told. The night I told you, I had told him earlier that day. Shortly after you left here. However, I think he knew before I did. It’s alright…I promise. Watari can keep a secret. He wouldn’t tell a soul.”

“Good,” Light still wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with someone else knowing. Not this early in the game.

“Think of it this way,” L put it into perspective, “You know how you say Sayu is like a drug sniffing dog when it comes to you? Especially when it comes to your love life?”

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “What about it?”

“Watari is my Sayu,” L explained, giving Light a quick little kiss, “Like I said, we’re fine. You don’t have to worry about anything. You let me do that.”

“Ok…” Light started to relax. But not very much. _If Watari is your Sayu, then…How long has Watari known and kept quiet about it? Did he know when I had my interview? Did he know when he told me about how delicate you can be? Or…Was that him giving his blessing?_

“By the way, Light,” L held him tighter, “You need to learn about the back hallway.”

“The back hallway?” Light looked at him strange, “Is that what you were wanting to do when we went to Odaiba?”

“Not that kind of back hallway,” L rolled his eyes, “This isn’t a sex thing, Light. It’s an actual hallway. It’s like a back door from my unit to yours. Every room in this building has two exits. There’s the front door and the back door. If you walk in or leave through the front door, you’ll go through the main hallway. But if you go out the back door, there’s a back hallway that runs all around the outside of the building. That’s why there aren’t much for windows. And for security measures, but that’s a different story. Anyway, when you leave here, you can go through the back door, take a left, then another left and your room will be down that hall. Just in case anyone from the task force is in the main hall. Or anyone you don’t want seeing you coming out of my room. Ok?”

“Did…” Light thought it over for a second or two, “Did you do that for me?”

“I had a feeling we’d get to this point some day,” L shrugged, “I just wanted to give us some options. The doors on the other side are all marked, so you can’t miss your own. I told you, Light. You don’t need to worry. Let me do that. We’re fine. I promise. All I ask is that you trust me.”

Light’s chest started to swell. Then, he pawed his way up to L, giving him the proper appreciation he deserved, “Thank you. For all of this.”

“No need for that,” L snuck in another kiss, “But you’re welcome. It’s been entirely my pleasure.”

_Ever since I came to Japan, I never thought you’d be the one waiting for me. I thought I’d come here to escape my past. And, if there’s time, catch a serial killer. But never in a million years did I think I wasn’t running away. Instead, I ran to you, Light. And by some stroke of luck or possibly even a miracle…You came to me. You stayed with me._ As L’s head filled with more thoughts of Light and of what things could be, his kisses got deeper, hungrier…And Light only pushed back with the same enthusiasm. _Someone came to play this morning._ L gladly indulged him, giving Light the world if he so desired. 

Light’s desires grew more and more carnal. He climbed into L’s lap, straddling L’s body between his thighs as their kisses got deeper. _More…I want more._ Their hearts raced in perfect sync as L held Light steady. Light practically begged for more without saying a word. _Is this it…? Are we really doing this? Dare we?_ Light didn’t care anymore. All of his cares were flying out the window one by one with every kiss L gave him. And when L started making his way to Light’s sensitive neck, all bets were truly off.

Knock, knock.

“Son of a bitch…” L grumbled under his breath, his movements coming to a screeching halt, “What is it?”

“The task force is here, L” Watari spoke behind the door, “Would you like me to keep them downstairs?”

“Yes,” L held his face in his hands. _Dammit,_ “Thank you, Watari. Tell them I’m on my way.”

“I will.”

“Wait,” Light caught his breath, “Does that mean we need to go to work now?”

“Unfortunately,” L gave him one last kiss, “Why don’t you take an hour before you come downstairs, ok? Then, you can join us.”

“Ok.” Reluctantly, Light got out of bed, “Which way is the back door?”

“Go into the living room,” L directed him, “And it’s the door tucked in the back.”

“Ok.” _So much for that idea._

“And Light?” L stopped him before he could get too far.

“Hmm?”

“Walk out…” L demanded, “Nice and slow for me…”

“Pervert,” Light giggled a bit.

“Indulge me,” L insisted, “Please?”

“Alright,” Light started walking toward the door, making sure to give L a show. One that rivaled the incident in Odaiba.

And L couldn’t help but admire the view. _Oh, Light, how I hate to see you go…But goddamn, do I love to watch you leave._ Despite Light’s performance, L truly didn’t want him to go. He didn’t want the task force to show up on time. He wanted his blissful moment to be just a little longer. But the nature of the beast was calling. And a different beast was left unsated. L got up and walked into his bathroom, hard as a rock.

As L stepped into the shower, it got him thinking. Especially when he looked down. _Do I have time? I know they’re waiting for me, but…If they’ve waited this long, I’m sure they could wait a few minutes longer. It’s not like it’s going to take much._ L took his dick in hand and slowly started stroking. _Fuck, I shouldn’t have let you leave, Light. Not yet…You left me with unfinished business. And for what?_ L’s strokes got faster…And rougher. _Because you were afraid someone would see us? Don’t you give me that bullshit. I know we could’ve had this taken care of…I would’ve had my teeth in that ass…And you’d be in here with me._ Faster and faster, L had a tight grip on the shower curtain. _I know I said some things were sacred…But fuck, this would’ve been better with you in here…So…Close…_

Just as L was preoccupied with his own task at hand, Light had found the back hallway and made his way back to his own apartment. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into L’s bed and go back to sleep, but he understood. They had other things to do. _I’m sure if I ask him nicely, we could go back to Odaiba. Or maybe somewhere else, if we’re feeling adventurous. He did say something about us taking a trip to South Korea. That wouldn’t be too bad. But then…_ The trip to London burned in Light’s brain. _London…I’ve never been to London before. I wonder if we could make that trip before we have to._

Knock, knock.

A little smile crept across Light’s face with an inkling of who waited for him on the other side. He didn’t even bother to put pants on yet. _What could he have possibly forgotten? I didn’t leave anything there, did I?_ No matter, Light started heading for his own front door, excited to see his company. _Maybe he just missed me. How could he? We just saw each other maybe…Five? Ten minutes ago?_ Light cracked his door open, playing with L a little…However, it wasn’t exactly L waiting for him.

“Dad?” Light gasped, partially covering himself with the door, “What are you doing here?”

“I work downstairs,” Soichiro was taken aback by his son’s sudden brashness, “Hello, Light. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No,” Light shook his head, “I’m awake. Clearly.”

“If I didn’t know any better,” Soichiro looked him over, “I’d think I did.”

“Nope,” Light stood his shaky ground, “Everything’s ok. You want to come in?”

“If it’s not too much to ask,” Soichiro followed Light inside, taking a quick look around at all the boxes still piled up from the last time he was there, “I see you haven’t done much for unpacking.”

“Not really, no,” Light dug around in one of the boxes marked closet and found some pants. _Why does Dad have to have the world’s worst timing? Even worse, why does he have to work in this building?_

“I offered to stay and help,” Soichiro reminded him.

“I’ll get to it eventually,” Light swore, “L keeps me kind of busy.”

“I told you he’d be abusing this,” Soichiro grumbled, “You know, Light, you’re more than welcome to come back home any time you’d like. Your mother already misses you.”

“It’s not L abusing the situation,” Light rolled his eyes, walking out of his severely underused bedroom, “I’m more than happy to help. It’s fine, Dad. Really. And Mom acts like I moved out of town. I’m still here. She can come see me whenever she wants. You know where I live. You can bring her here. It’s alright.”

“Are you sure Ryuzaki wouldn’t have a problem with that?” he wondered, “I’ve seen his security system. One would think that would be enough of a no trespassing sign.”

“It wouldn’t be trespassing if it were Mom,” Light chuckled to himself, “She wouldn’t hurt a fly. Besides, it wouldn’t really be up to him. Not if she were coming to see me. I’m sure that’d be fine.”

“Well,” Soichiro rocked back on his heels, “I thought I’d check in. Are you sure everything’s…?”

“Dad,” Light settled him, walking his father to the door, “I promise. I’m fine. I know you’re always going to worry about me, but really and truly, I’m alright.”

“Good,” Soichiro got the door and walked out to L whistling in the main hall. _Huh…That’s a little odd,_ “Good morning, Ryuzaki.”

“Good morning, Mr. Yagami,” L had a smile on his face. And a bigger one when he saw Light out of the corner of his eye, “Good morning, Light.”

“Good morning,” Light’s cheeks started turning a light shade of pink.

“You’re in an unusually good mood,” Soichiro noticed, “What’s the occasion?”

“No reason,” L shrugged, “Just a good day. Shall we?”

“I suppose so,” Soichiro wasn’t going to question it. _It beats having him pissed off, I guess._

“And Light,” L turned to him, “I have something I need you to do.”

“Ok,” Light perked up. _I wonder what that could be,_ “What do you need?”

“A bakery run,” L ordered, “I’m a little hungry and could stand some breakfast. You know what to get, don’t you?”

“Coffee and donuts?” Light assumed.

“You learn quickly,” L shot Light a quick wink out of Soichiro’s eye shot, “I knew I chose my assistant well. Mr. Yagami?”

“Yes?” Soichiro wondered, “What is it?”

“Thank you for introducing me to your son,” L melted inside, “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“He is exceptional at what he does,” Soichiro agreed, never passing up an opportunity to gush over his son. 

L couldn’t wipe the dirty smile off his face. _I don’t think you realize what I’m trying to tell you. I’m saying that one day in May, you had unprotected sex with your wife and I couldn’t be more grateful for that day. And you’re not wrong. He is definitely exceptional. I can’t wait to see just how exceptional he is. He seems so eager to please._ L snapped out of his fantasies about Light and decided to act on them. Not to any extremes, but just enough to satisfy the craving. 

“Mr. Yagami,” L bit the inside of his cheek, “If you’d don’t mind, I’d like a moment alone with my assistant.”

“Is everything alright?” Soichiro wondered, shooting a quick glance at Light, looking for any sort of confirmation he could get.

“Everything’s fine,” L assured him, “Along with breakfast, he needed to stop and get some medication for me. I was hoping to keep it discreet, if that’s alright with you.”

“Oh,” Soichiro let it go, “Forgive me. I’ll be downstairs.”

“Thank you,” L sent him off, waiting until he turned the corner.

“So,” Light asked, ‘Which medi…”

L cut him off, giving Light a quick kiss, “That’s it. That’s all I needed.”

Light kept his voice down as a little smile graced his face, “I love you, too.”


	37. Coffee Breaks and Matsuda the Idiot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, you precious little bean, you. How are we today? You doing ok? You eat something today? Drink something? Take any medications you need? Or maybe you’re just having a shit day and you need something to take that away. Here…Take my virtual hand. Take a deep breath. Unclench your jaw. Relax your shoulders. Stand up, if you can. Stretch out a little, if you can. It’ll be alright. I know it might suck right now in the moment, but it’ll pass. *chu* I love you. Good. Now that we have that out of the way, how about we get into today’s chapter, yeah? Alright, slugger. Come on. Let’s get into it.

Light didn’t need much for instruction when he’d go on breakfast runs for L. He knew exactly what he was looking for. And he knew he didn’t have any medications to pick up. That sounded more like a Watari job. Fortunately, Light knew the town like the back of his hand. And heaven forbid if L didn’t get the best. Instead of going all the way to Omotesando, Light stopped at a café in Aoyama. He smiled as a building across the street caught his eye. 

_The Note Blue. In hindsight, our first date._ Nostalgia aside, Light went into the café, a man on a mission. _Black coffee. Twelve…Thirteen sugars. And donuts. L said something about donuts, but he never said what kind. Is this a test? No. I think we’re well past L testing me on anything. At least I sure as hell hope so._ Light shook off his fears and made L’s order, debating what to get for himself. _Anything with caffeine would do at this point._

“Light?” a gentle, familiar voice spoke behind him. 

And Light’s heart sunk through the floor. Especially when he turned around to get a glimpse of the woman behind him, “Takada…Hi.”

“It’s nice to see you,” Takada smiled politely, “At least under better circumstances.”

“Yeah,” Light agreed, “You, too. You’re…All by yourself.”

“I’m working in the area today,” she explained, “What about you? What are you up to?”

“I’m actually working, too,” he leaned against the counter, “My boss has me on a donut run.”

“Oh…” Takada had flashbacks to the last time she saw Light. _There was that other guy hanging around him. Was that his boss? With the way the other guy was talking, it’s more like he’s Light’s new boyfriend,_ “So, you’ll probably be in and out then, right?”

Light couldn’t leave Takada like that. Not with that jilted look in her eye. Without batting an eye, he turned back to the counter, “Excuse me…”

“Yes, sir,” the man behind the counter chimed, “How can I help you?”

“On top of my order,” Light asked, “Could you add a French vanilla cappuccino with two shots of espresso and a blueberry bagel with cream cheese and a lemon wedge on the side?”

“No problem!”

“Light,” Takada melted inside, “You still remember my breakfast order?”

“Of course, I do,” Light smiled, “It’s not like you were ever overly complicated, Takada. I know how you work.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s not a problem,” he insisted. _I might have to explain it to my boyfriend later, but I’m sure he’ll understand. If I can take Sayu for a fifteen thousand yen dinner in Ginza without telling him about it first, I’m sure Takada’s breakfast won’t be the end of the world._

“Thank you,” Takada gave him a nod, “You know…If you’re not in that big of a hurry, it’d be nice to sit and talk for a while. I miss talking with you, Light.”

“Well…” Light checked his watch. For two reasons. One: The obvious. He needed to know how long he had been gone. _No more than twenty minutes. That’s fine._ And two: A reminder. A reminder of who he went home to now. Of who had Light’s heart in his hands. The one who put that beautiful watch on his wrist in the first place. _It’s just Takada. It’s not like it’s Misa unraveling my psyche again,_ “I don’t see why not. I got time.”

As Light and Takada took their seats, L sat at his desk back at task force headquarters. At the moment, he checked on suspicious spending coming from a couple suspects’ bank accounts. Plane tickets, shady retailers, anything that might be cause for concern. But then, his mind started wandering in the monotony. And even worse, it started to drag. _Coffee. I could use some coffee right about now. Wasn’t that supposed to be a Light job?_

“Mr. Yagami,” L broke the quiet in the room, “How long does it take to get from here to the nearest café?”

“About ten minutes on foot,” Soichiro told him, “Why?”

“Light’s been gone too long,” L worried, “I hope everything’s alright.”

“Maybe he stopped somewhere else,” Matsuda suggested, “If you’re so worried, maybe you should call him.”

“Capital idea, Mr. Matsuda,” L praised, just as confused as everyone else that those words actually came out of his mouth, “I think I will.”

L got up from his chair, letting his knees unlock, and went somewhere more private than the main room. The others didn’t need to hear his conversation. L’s nerves were already getting the better of him. He didn’t need to deal with all the questions that would likely follow with the rest of the task force. _Please be ok, Light. Tell me something bad didn’t happen. Just…Please. Be ok. That’s all I ask of you._

Ring…

Ring…

Light looked down at his phone. And his blood turned cold. _Uh-oh,_ “Hey, Takada? Do you mind? I need to take this.”

“Go ahead,” Takada allowed, “I’m not going to tell you no, Light. You don’t have to ask my permission.”

“Hello?” Light stepped outside.

“Light, where are you?” L wondered, quietly breathing a sigh of relief. _He’s ok. At least he’s ok,_ “You’ve been gone for the last hour. I’m starving and you have my coffee.”

“I’m on my way back,” Light promised, “I got breakfast. I’ll be back soon, ok?”

“Ok,” L let him go, “And Light?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you,” L spoke softly, “Hurry home. I’ll be waiting.”

“I will,” Light melted inside, “I won’t be much longer, ok? You’ll be alright for another ten, fifteen minutes, right?”

“I’m not sure how I’ll go on,” L teased, “But I suppose I’ll manage. See you soon.”

Click.

Light shoved his phone back in his pocket. _I didn’t think I was gone that long. Time flies, I guess._ Light went back to his table with Takada, grabbing his box of donuts, “I have to go, Takada. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer.”

“I should be going, too,” Takada got up, “It’s not a problem. I wasn’t intending to stay this long anyway. We really should do this again, though, Light. I’m sure there’s more we haven’t caught up on.”

“I can’t talk about Misa,” Light settled her, “I know you want to dig down that rabbit hole. That’s the investigative journalist in you. But I can’t talk about her.”

“I know.” _Shit…I need a good exposé piece. Not that hanging out with Light didn’t have its merits, but exposing how terrible Misa Misa is? That’s career making,_ “I do miss you, Light. Are you busy this weekend?”

“I don’t know,” Light remembered back to his contract. He needs to keep his weekends free. Especially now that he’s living with the man that drew up his contract in the first place. _Dare I even tell L I was with Takada all this time? No. No. I’m overreacting. L knows better than for me to cheat on him. A little piece of me will always have a thing for Takada, but I’m not going to run back into her arms any time soon,_ “But I’m assuming you have the same number, right?”

“You never deleted my number?” she wondered. _Looks like someone’s still harboring a flame for me._

“No,” he shook his head, “I never got around to it. I’ll see if I’m busy this weekend and call you if I’m free.”

“Ok,” Takada smiled a bit, “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me, too,” Light had a strange feeling in his chest. He knew what it could’ve been, but he dared not speak it. Not even think it. Instead, he waved Takada off and went back up to the counter. _I’m sure I made him worry. Hopefully, this will help._  
  


“Can I help you, sir?” the man behind the counter chimed.

“Can I get another black coffee with thirteen sugars?” Light ordered, “And a dozen macarons. And half of them earl grey.”

“Did you have a preference for the other half?”

“Assorted is fine.”

Light grabbed his (and L’s) order and headed back to the task force headquarters. A little guilt crept in about making him wait so long, but he let it go. _I’m sure if I just explain to him that I ran into…a friend…he won’t freak out too much. Even if I tell him it was Takada, he knows better. I’m not going back to her. Not when we’re doing so well._ Light pressed the special bypass button and walked through the door.

“Hey, Light,” Aizawa wondered, “How long have you been here?”

“Maybe two minutes?” Light thought it over, “Why?”

“How?” Aizawa got defensive, “It takes at least ten minutes, a full cavity search, and a blood sacrifice to go through the security system.”

“That’s not your concern, Mr. Aizawa,” L brushed him off, “Light, do you have what I asked you for?”

“And then some,” Light put both boxes next to L.

“You…” L looked in the top box, “You got me macarons?”

“I figured it’d make up for me showing up so late,” Light rocked back on his heels, “I’m sorry. I got caught up in something else. Nothing dangerous, though.”

“What kind of macarons did you get?” L ran his fingers over the blue ones, “I know those are earl grey, but what are the others?”

“I got an assortment,” Light explained, knowing exactly which ones were which. _The pink ones are strawberry shortcake, the yellow ones are cheesecake, and the green ones are kiwi and melon. My favorite, your favorite, and a safe one._

“You know, Light,” L studied them closely, “I’m not typically one to get adventurous with my pastries.”

“Just trust me,” Light assured him, “I bet you’ll like them.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive.”

“How many sugars did you put in my coffee?” L asked.

“Thirteen,” Light crossed his fingers in his pockets, hoping he did good.

“Perfect,” L praised him. Had Light been born a golden retriever, his tail would’ve safely propelled him through water, “Thank you, Light. You and I will talk later.”

“Sure,” Light smiled, the tension in his body melting away.

“Wow,” Matsuda giggled to himself, “If nobody knew any better, they’d think you two were a married couple.”

“Shut up, Matsuda!” Light snapped at him, noticing L twitch out of the corner of his eye. And the whole room fell silent. No clacking of the keyboard. No mouse clicks. Not even a pen clicking. Just tense quiet.

“That…Was more of a joke, Light,” Matsuda tucked his tail between his legs, “I’m sorry…”

“Light,” L’s hands shook, “Do you think I could see you privately, please?”

“Of course,” Light knew a little more about L than what Matsuda’s off handed comment suggested. They didn’t need their relationship on full display. Light brought L around the corner, making sure they were both out of the task force’s field of vision, “Are you alright?”

“Light…” L’s stomach turned. And all he could think of was the last time marriage even crossed his mind. And how he was just a little too late, “You know I’d never do that to you…Right?”

“I know,” Light pulled L into his chest. L’s shaking started to slow. Not by much, but enough to make Light feel better. He placed a gentle kiss on top of L’s head, just to remind him he was still here. Light knew L’s feelings on marriage. And he knew that would never happen. Not unless he asked nicely…And gently, “I know.”

“Because you’re incredibly precious to me,” L’s voice broke, “And I know I’d never be able to find another you. Especially not you.”

“I know,” Light held him tighter, keeping his voice down, “It’s ok. I’m not going anywhere, L. I promise. It doesn’t matter what happens. I’m right here. I’m not leaving you. On any plane of existence. I’m still here.”

“Good,” L pulled himself together, in need of a quick distraction, “So…Where were you before? What took you so long to get back here?”

“I…” _Would now really be a good time for that? When he’s already so fragile?_ Light shook it off, not underestimating L’s strength, “I went to a place in Aoyama and…I ran into Takada.”

“Really?” the mentions of Light’s ex made L a little uneasy, but he trusted Light more than most.

“Yeah,” Light nodded, “We got to talking and lost track of time.”

“Oh,” L was quiet for a moment or two, “Do you miss her?”

“Sometimes,” Light answered honestly, “But she’s got her work and her new boyfriend. In a way, I got the same thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I got work and my boyfriend, too,” Light gave L one little kiss, “I do…Don’t I?”

“Yeah,” L nodded, cuddling into Light’s shoulder. _Thank you, Light. That’s all I needed to hear,_ “You know…I may call it an early day. This one has already taken so much out of me.”

“That’s alright,” Light allowed, giving L one gentle kiss, “So…Should I hang around down here for a while?”

“Please.”

“Ok,” Light let L go and the two of them started walking back toward the main room. But before they could get there, L grabbed Light’s hand, making Light freeze in his tracks, “L? Is everything ok?”

L pulled Light toward him, getting one last kiss before they had to part ways, “Yes. It will be. See you at home?”

“I’ll see you at home,” Light gushed inside. _Yeah. I’ll see him at home._ In that moment, it just hit him. Light finally realized exactly where his life had gone. An apartment of his own, yet a boyfriend he loved and lived with (not quite in the open yet, but he knew they weren’t in the place for that) and worked with and saw every single day. And he couldn’t be happier. For the first time in nearly four years, Light was genuinely happy. 

“Now,” L walked back to the main room on his own while Light made himself comfortable off to the side, “Where were we?”

“I am still really sorry about that, Ryuzaki,” Matsuda whined, “I didn’t realize what I said was so out of line. I wasn’t thinking.”

“That’s not exactly out of the ordinary for you, Mr. Matsuda,” L threw himself back into his work, “Now, if it’s all the same to you, please. Shut up.”

“Ok.” Matsuda kept his mouth shut. Just as L ordered.

“Light,” L called for him.

And much like any other time, Light came when he was called for, “Yeah?”

“That medicine I asked you for earlier?” L requested, “Will you go get some for me please?”

“Sure.” _You never asked me for medicine. I thought that was just a distraction, so my dad didn’t ask too many questions._ Still, Light started walking up the stairs to the apartment at the end of the hall. Or as Light liked to call it, his new home. But then, Light felt his phone buzzing on his thigh. _What the hell…? I was right there. What could he possibly want?_

_Matsuda’s an idiot._

_My head is killing me._

_Aspirin please?_

_-L_

Light giggled to himself. _That makes more sense._

_You’re not wrong._

_Medicine cabinet in the bathroom?_

Bzzz…

_On the left._

_Big bottle._

_Can’t miss it._

_Thank you. x_

_-L_


End file.
